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4w ago

US Panel Recommends Sanctions on India’s RAW Over Alleged Sikh Separatist Assassination Plots

The USCIRF calls for India to be designated a 'country of particular concern' citing deteriorating religious freedom and alleged targeting of Sikh separatists, but sanctions remain unlikely.

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The US State Department reports on human rights and religious freedom have noted minority abuses in recent years. India calls them “deeply biased”.
Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
A Muslim man offers prayers during Jumat-ul-Vida, or the last Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, inside Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) in the old quarters of Delhi, India, April 5, 2024. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh/File photo

Overview

  • The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended sanctions against India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for alleged involvement in assassination plots targeting Sikh separatists.
  • The annual report also urges the U.S. government to designate India as a 'country of particular concern' due to worsening religious freedom conditions and rising discrimination against minorities.
  • India has consistently denied involvement in assassination plots and rejected the USCIRF's allegations as biased and politically motivated.
  • Analysts suggest the U.S. is unlikely to impose sanctions on RAW, given India’s strategic importance as a counterbalance to China’s influence in Asia.
  • The report also accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of promoting anti-minority rhetoric during the 2024 election campaign, further straining U.S.-India relations.