India (MNN) — Despite the creation and execution of oppressive anti-conversion laws being established in India over the last two years, the U.S. State Department has not added India to its Countries of Particular Concern list.

The Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) is a list for which the U.S. president is required to annually review the status of religious freedom in every country in the world and designate each country where the government has engaged in or tolerated “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.”

The State Department’s Religious Freedom Report was not updated last year and has yet to be updated in 2025. The latest CPC list from 2023 excludes India; however, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) includes India on its recommended Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and Special Watch List (SWL).

With the rise of anti-conversion laws in several Indian states, attacks against Christians have climbed to an average of twice a day. 

Bibles For The World (BFTW) had hoped that the new U.S. administration would revive work on religious freedom issues. It remains their prayer that the U.S. government will bring these human rights issues into focus and deal with this religious persecution and loss of religious freedom.

John Pudaite with BFTW says, “We’re seeing that from some of our partners, where before they were very willing to take large amounts of scripture from us, whether the gospel of John, (or) New Testaments for New Believers, (we’re) starting to see them lowering their orders or requests. Some of them are just saying, ‘We can’t do this right now.’ And that’s that’s pretty shocking, because most of these were pretty bold in their faith and their outreach and evangelism.”

Pudaite said these Christians are on the front lines.

There is an openness to the gospel in India. (Photo courtesy of Bibles for the World)

“We’re just hoping and praying that under the Trump administration this will shift back toward bringing (India) into focus as a country that really needs to live by its constitution, which guarantees religious freedom for all of its citizens,” says Pudaite.

While Christians face religious persecution in the country, there is also new openness to the Gospel. Pudaite says that people see the regime in power is not reaching down to them and considering them.

Instead, “They’re responding to what they see: The love of Christ coming through the Christians there in India,” says Pudaite.

Please pray for the protection of Christians in India. Pray that they will continue to be strong in their faith, outreach, and in their ministries. Pray that as God opens the hearts of Indians to the Gospel, He will guide world leaders to advocate for minorities in India.

 

(Photo by Naveed Ahmed on Unsplash)