(ANALYSIS) Britain has named India among 10 countries it will closely monitor for violations of religious freedom as part of a new foreign policy strategy. The move links the United Kingdom’s international relations more directly with the defence of freedom of religion or belief.
The announcement was made by David Smith, the Labour Member of Parliament for North Northumberland and the U.K. government’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The U.K.’s decision comes amid growing international attention on the state of religious minorities in India.
A 2024 report by the India Hate Lab documented a 74 percent rise in hate speech against minority communities compared to the previous year. The group recorded 1,165 incidents of hate speech, with nearly 99 percent targeting Muslims, many of which occurred during India’s national election campaign, according to the BBC.
Political leaders were among those responsible for the rise in hate speech, the report said, noting that hate speech surged at rallies, religious processions and cultural events. The data indicated that Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh accounted for nearly half of all recorded incidents of hate speech.