India: New Restrictions on Religious Minorities

Last updated: 15 October 2026

Photo: India 24 - www.A108.net - International Vaishnavas Portal - Travel

This India religious update covers the most important changes for religious minorities through 2025 and into early 2026. Christians, Muslims, and inter-faith couples face a sharper risk than they did even one year ago. New state laws, continued enforcement of anti-conversion rules, and another USCIRF "Country of Particular Concern" designation make this a critical period. The changes strengthen asylum claims based on religion, especially for Christians and Muslims fleeing BJP-ruled states.[1]

1. What Changed in 2025-2026

The first major change is the continued spread of state-level anti-conversion laws. Twelve states now have these laws on the books. They include Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Arunachal Pradesh. In 2025, the laws were strengthened with longer prison terms (up to 10 years) and new "love jihad" clauses targeting inter-faith marriage. Police often arrest pastors and converts under these laws based on a single complaint.[2]

The second change is the USCIRF re-designation of India as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) in the 2025 Annual Report. USCIRF first recommended CPC status in 2020 and has done so every year since. The 2025 report cites mosque demolitions, lynchings, and discriminatory laws. While the State Department has not yet adopted the CPC designation, the recommendation continues to carry significant weight in asylum decisions.[3]

The third change is the rise of "bulldozer justice." State governments demolish Muslim homes and shops without due process, often within hours of an alleged offence. The Supreme Court issued guidelines against the practice in late 2024. Demolitions, however, continued through 2025 in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana. The Supreme Court's intervention shows the gap between law and practice.[4]

2. Recent Incidents

Violence against religious minorities continued at a high level through 2025. The United Christian Forum recorded over 800 anti-Christian incidents in 2024. Most happened in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. Pastors and Sunday worshippers face mob attacks during services. Police often charge the victims under anti-conversion laws rather than the attackers.[5]

Anti-Muslim incidents include:

• Lynching: Cow vigilante mobs killed several Muslim men in 2024-2025, including high-profile cases in Haryana and Maharashtra.
• Mosque demolitions: The 2024 demolition of mosques in Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh under "anti-encroachment" pretexts.
• Hate speech: Public rallies calling for violence against Muslims continued, with limited prosecution.
• UAPA arrests: Muslim activists, journalists, and students remain in detention under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Sikhs in Punjab have faced renewed pressure since the 2023 Amritpal Singh crackdown. Surveillance, NIA cases, and pressure on diaspora critics continued in 2025. Allegations of Indian agency involvement in killings abroad (Canada, US) remain a serious concern. The Sikh community now has a fresh basis for political-opinion claims.[6]

3. State-by-State Developments

4. Impact on Asylum Claims

These changes strengthen Indian religious-asylum claims in three concrete ways. First, the continued USCIRF CPC recommendation gives applicants an authoritative international source. Second, the spread of anti-conversion laws shows that internal relocation does not work — most BJP-ruled states have similar laws. Third, the Manipur conflict and Punjab security situation create new claim categories.[7]

Practical implications for asylum applicants:

• Christians: Show baptism records, anti-conversion FIRs, and country evidence on enforcement. Cite UCF data and USCIRF reports.
• Muslims: Cite bulldozer demolitions, lynching incidents, and UAPA detention statistics. Internal relocation is increasingly weak as a counter-argument.
• Inter-faith couples: Document the "love jihad" law in your state. Provide marriage certificates and threat evidence.
• Sikhs: Bring NIA notices, family statements, and evidence of diaspora monitoring.
• Manipuri Christians (Kuki): Include UN reports, internal displacement records, and church evidence.

For full guidance on building a religious-persecution claim from India, see our main asylum guide. For background on caste, gender, and Kashmir-related claims, see our country reports. To find a country expert, visit our expert witness directory.

Christians, Muslims and other religious minorities affected by the new restrictions can rely on our India country expert witness reports for case-specific evidence.