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The number of attacks on Christians in India has increased 500% over the last decade, the United Christian Forum (UCF) said during a press conference held in New Delhi on November 4.
“Between 2014 and 2024, incidents of violence against Christians rose sharply—from 139 to 834—a staggering 500 percent increase,” said A.C. Michael, UCF’s national convenor, during the press briefing.
The UCF, an inter-denominational Christian group based in New Delhi, reported that nearly 5,000 attacks on Christian individuals, families, communities, and institutions have occurred across the country during the past decade.
For the first nine months of 2025 alone, 579 attacks were reported throughout India. Michael noted that fewer than 10% of these incidents—only 39 cases—resulted in any police action, highlighting a concerning trend of impunity for perpetrators.
The organization attributes the dramatic increase in violence to several factors, including “anti-Christian propaganda, false allegations of religious conversions, and politically driven hatred.” This assessment points to growing religious tensions in the world’s largest democracy.
Religious conversion laws have become a flashpoint for Christian communities in India. Currently, conversion to Christianity is illegal in 12 of India’s 28 states. Most of these states are governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Hindu nationalist political party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has held office since 2014.
UCF President Michael Williams told UCA News that even accusations of religious conversion are “used as a political weapon before every election by the current government,” suggesting that anti-Christian sentiment has become intertwined with political strategy.
Christians comprise approximately 2% of India’s population of 1.4 billion people. The country is predominantly Hindu, with Hinduism forming the cultural and religious foundation for roughly 80% of the population.
India’s religious freedom record has drawn international scrutiny in recent years. The 2025 Religious Freedom Report, published by the organization Aid to the Church in Need, listed India among 24 countries where “persecution” is occurring. The report specifically cited “a combination of authoritarianism and ethno-religious nationalism” as driving forces behind religious persecution in the country.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has also expressed concern about India’s religious freedom situation. In both 2024 and 2025, the commission recommended that India be designated as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), representing a significant escalation from its previous “Special Watch List” status.
The CPC designation is the most severe classification the U.S. Secretary of State can assign to countries with poor religious freedom records. It is reserved for nations whose governments have either engaged in or tolerated “particularly severe violations of religious freedom,” according to the State Department.
These violations include torture, prolonged detention without charges, forced disappearances, and other serious denials of basic human rights. By contrast, the “Special Watch List” designation indicates countries that require close monitoring due to the nature and extent of religious freedom violations but fall short of CPC criteria.
Despite the USCIRF recommendations, the U.S. State Department has not currently listed India as either a CPC or Special Watch List country, creating a diplomatic disconnect that religious freedom advocates have criticized.
India’s government has consistently rejected international criticism of its religious freedom record, maintaining that it treats all religious communities equally under its secular constitution. However, human rights organizations continue to document increasing challenges faced by religious minorities, particularly in states with strict anti-conversion laws.
The UCF’s report adds to growing evidence of systematic challenges faced by Christian communities in India and raises questions about the effectiveness of existing protections for religious minorities in the country. As religious tensions continue to simmer, international and domestic observers remain concerned about the trajectory of religious freedom in the world’s most populous democracy.
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16 Comments
The increase in attacks on Christians in India is deeply concerning. While religious sensitivities exist, the use of violence and intimidation against minority communities is unacceptable in a democratic society.
I hope the Indian government takes this issue seriously and works to address the root causes of this troubling trend through inclusive and just measures.
As the world’s largest democracy, India has a responsibility to protect the rights of religious minorities. This report highlights the urgent need for reform and greater accountability.
I hope the Indian government takes these findings seriously and works to address the root causes of this troubling trend.
This report highlights the disturbing rise of religious intolerance in India. The government must address this issue urgently and ensure that all citizens, regardless of their faith, are able to practice their religion freely and without fear.
Upholding the principles of secularism and pluralism is crucial for India’s democratic future. The authorities must take concrete steps to protect minority rights.
This report paints a troubling picture of rising religious intolerance in India. The sharp increase in attacks on Christians is deeply concerning and highlights the need for greater protection of minority rights and religious freedoms.
Impunity for perpetrators is especially worrying and undermines the rule of law. The government must take stronger action to address this issue.
While I understand the sensitivities around religious conversions, using violence and intimidation against Christian communities is never justified. India must uphold its democratic principles and ensure the safety of all its citizens.
This situation requires nuanced solutions that balance competing interests and rights. A crackdown alone is unlikely to resolve the underlying tensions.
This report highlights the growing threat to religious freedom in India. The government must take decisive action to protect the rights of all its citizens, regardless of their faith.
Interfaith dialogue and the promotion of mutual understanding are crucial to addressing the underlying tensions and preventing further violence.
The use of ‘anti-Christian propaganda’ and ‘politically driven hatred’ to justify violence against Christians is deeply troubling. India must uphold its pluralistic traditions and promote interfaith harmony.
This issue touches on complex sociopolitical dynamics, but the protection of human rights should be the paramount concern.
While religious sensitivities are understandable, the dramatic increase in attacks on Christians in India is unacceptable. The government must take firm action to curb this trend and hold perpetrators accountable.
Promoting religious tolerance and safeguarding the rights of minority communities should be a top priority for the Indian authorities.