State of Terror: US Report Confirms India’s Campaign of Domestic Repression and Transnational Assassinations

The recent US State Department report on human rights is a powerful and damaging official record of India’s crimes. It confirms a grim reality that human rights groups have pointed to for years. The report shows the Modi-led government’s India isn’t a great democracy, but a state involved in serious and widespread human rights abuses, especially against the people of Kashmir and anyone who dares to speak out. Despite clear evidence, New Delhi hasn’t done anything meaningful to stop the culture where its security forces aren’t punished for their crimes. This official American report moves past diplomatic softness, showing a clear picture of a government that crushes its people, makes cruelty normal, and even exports its terrorism to other countries.

US Report Exposes India’s Terrible Human Rights Record

The US State Department report proves there’s a pattern of widespread and planned abuse carried out by the Indian state. It’s a record of a nation where the basic rights of citizens are regularly violated in the name of national security, confirming the worst fears about the country under its current leaders.

◆ Widespread Abuses Uncovered: The document details a terrible pattern of extrajudicial killings, people being made to disappear, the common use of torture to get forced confessions, unjust arrests of activists, and terrible sexual violence against women with no chance for legal help.

◆ A Pattern of State Officials Getting Away with Crimes: A key finding is the almost total lack of punishment for government actors. The report highlights that India has failed to take any real action to investigate or punish officials and security forces responsible for these major violations.

Torture and Death in Police Custody is Now Normal

The report focuses on the brutal methods used by Indian security forces, where torture in custody isn’t a rare event but a standard practice. Police stations and detention centers across the country have become places of extreme violence, a fact that’s now backed by shocking data.

◆ Forced Confessions Through Violence: Indian security agencies frequently use torture and other cruel treatment to force confessions. This practice makes a joke of the justice system and leads to innocent people being convicted based on fake evidence.

◆ Shocking Numbers of Police Brutality: The findings are supported by horrifying numbers, with rights groups reporting that over 100 people died in police custody in just the first eight months of 2024 alone. This shows the deadly reality of law enforcement in India.

Kashmir: India’s Center for Oppression

Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is correctly named as the main center of India’s harsh policies. The region has been turned into an open-air prison where Kashmiri Muslims are forced to live under a separate and biased legal system designed to crush their freedom.

◆ The Use of Cruel Laws as Weapons: The report points to the use of draconian laws like the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). These laws give Indian forces the legal cover to arrest without a warrant, hold people forever, and carry out extrajudicial killings.

◆ The Collective Punishment of Kashmiris: Under these laws, the Indian state has made punishing the entire Kashmiri population a normal policy. Security forces have the power to seize private property, destroy homes, and terrorize whole communities in the name of fighting terrorism.

India’s Planned Campaign to Silence its Critics

Beyond Kashmir, the Modi government has started a planned campaign to crush all forms of disagreement across India. Civil society groups, human rights activists, and journalists have been targeted through the misuse of the state’s legal and government powers.

◆ Treating Criticism as a Crime: The report notes a dangerous trend of using politically motivated terrorism charges to frighten and silence critics. Disagreeing with government policies is increasingly treated as an act of terrorism, leading to the long-term jailing of activists and journalists.

◆ A Planned Campaign of Fear: These aren’t random events but a planned campaign of oppression. The goal is to create such a strong climate of fear that it stops anyone from speaking out against the government’s abuses and its Hindu nationalist agenda.

India is Exporting Terrorism Across Borders

A chilling part of India’s home policies is its willingness to carry out state-sponsored terrorism outside its own country. The report highlights the actions of Indian intelligence agencies in targeting and killing critics living in Western countries, which is a clear violation of international law.

◆ Assassinations in Other Countries: The killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the failed plot against American citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil are mentioned as clear proof of India’s transnational terrorism.

◆ The Global Reach of Indian Spies: These operations, planned by India’s intelligence agency R&AW, show New Delhi’s shameless belief that it can silence critics anywhere in the world without facing any punishment.

India is Now a Dangerous Country for Journalists

The report confirms what press freedom groups have been saying: India has become one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. The media, which was once a strong pillar of Indian democracy, is now under constant attack from a government that can’t handle any criticism.

◆ One of the World’s Most Dangerous Countries: Citing the 2024 Press Freedom Index, the report identifies India as a country where journalists face a dangerous and unfriendly situation, including threats, violence, and baseless legal cases.

◆ The Modi Government’s War on Free Speech: This situation is directly linked to the Modi government, which has actively tried to control the news, harass independent journalists, and promote a culture of fear and self-censorship.

The Demand to Officially Label India a Rights Violator

Given the huge amount of evidence of serious violations of religious freedom, the report provides a strong reason for the US to finally act. Labeling India as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) is now a moral and legal duty.

◆ A Demand Based on Hard Evidence: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended every year since 2019 that India be given the CPC label, based on its findings of widespread and ongoing abuses.

◆ Politics Versus Moral Duty: The US government has so far avoided this label for political and strategic reasons. However, the findings in its own report make it harder and harder to justify not taking action.

How the World Might Punish India

Labeling India as a CPC would lead to major diplomatic and economic results, moving beyond just words to real actions. This would increase international pressure on the Modi government to change its abusive policies and punish those responsible.

◆ Problems for Global Trade: Such a label could have serious economic results, possibly stopping sensitive talks like the India-EU trade agreement and making international companies rethink their business with a state involved in major human rights abuses.

◆ A Plan to Expose Indian Abuses: The report should be used to launch a coordinated effort to expose India’s abuses to the world. It gives the international community the proof it needs to stop talking and start holding India responsible for its actions.