Targeted sanctions for RSS, R&AW? US panel recommends asset freezes and entry bans

Washington: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended that the U.S. government impose targeted sanctions on India's Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).

In its 2026 Annual Report released in early March, the bipartisan advisory body called for freezing the assets of these entities and barring their members from entering the United States. The commission cited their alleged "responsibility for or tolerance of severe violations of religious freedom" throughout the 2025 calendar year.

Deteriorating Religious Freedom

The report urged the State Department to designate India as a "Country of Particular Concern" for the seventh consecutive year. It documented a pattern of what it described as systematic and ongoing abuses, including the enforcement of discriminatory legislation such as anti-conversion laws and cow slaughter regulations.

USCIRF noted that Hindu nationalist groups allegedly harassed and instigated violence against Muslim and Christian communities with impunity in several states. The commission specifically highlighted the use of anti-terrorism laws to detain religious minorities and activists, noting that individuals involved in the 2020 citizenship protests remained in prison for a fifth year without trial.

Intelligence Agency Scrutiny

The recommendation for sanctions against R&AW marks a significant escalation in the panel’s rhetoric. The commission linked the agency to alleged transnational repression, including reported involvement in assassination plots against Sikh separatists in North America.

While the USCIRF is an independent federal agency, its recommendations are not binding on the White House or the State Department. Historically, the U.S. government has avoided placing India on its official religious freedom blacklist, viewing New Delhi as a critical strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

Government Response

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has previously dismissed USCIRF’s assessments as "biased and politically motivated." In past statements, New Delhi has maintained that the commission lacks a proper understanding of India’s pluralistic framework and vibrant multicultural society.