The European Union Commission faces mounting pressure to confront serious human rights concerns during its unprecedented two-day visit to India on February 27-28, 2025. Human Rights Watch, along with eleven other rights organizations, has formally urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and fellow commissioners to break what they describe as a "prolonged silence" regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government's human rights record. With the visit intended to strengthen bilateral trade, economic, technology, and security ties between the EU and India, human rights advocates argue that genuine strategic partnership must include addressing India's deteriorating rights situation. Critics point to systematic persecution of religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, alongside a broader crackdown on journalists, human rights defenders, and political opposition figures. The Indian government's increasingly restrictive legislative framework, discriminatory citizenship policies, and failure to address ethnic violence have created what multiple international organizations characterize as a human rights crisis requiring urgent European attention and diplomatic intervention.
The Stakes of the EU-India Commission Visit
The February 27-28, 2025 visit by European Union commissioners to India represents what official EU communications have described as an "unprecedented visit" aimed at upgrading the strategic partnership between these two major democratic powers[3]. Led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, this high-level delegation arrives at a critical juncture for both entities. For the EU, India represents a crucial economic and geopolitical partner in Asia at a time when European powers are seeking to diversify their relationships beyond China. For India, stronger EU ties offer economic opportunities and enhanced international legitimacy for the Modi government, now in its third consecutive term following the June 2024 elections that returned his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power[6].
The timing of this visit holds particular significance given the backdrop of intensifying concerns about India's human rights trajectory. Human Rights Watch, joined by eleven other human rights organizations, has sent a formal letter ahead of the visit urging EU commissioners to directly confront these issues[3]. These organizations maintain that the EU's reluctance to publicly condemn India's rights record has emboldened further abuses and undermined the EU's stated commitment to human rights as a cornerstone of its foreign policy[2]. The joint letter specifically urges European leaders to make it clear that progress on bilateral relations depends on tangible human rights improvements in India[3].
This diplomatic engagement occurs against a complex global backdrop where the EU itself faces criticism for declining rule of law standards in some member states, increasing xenophobia, and migration policies that often prioritize security over human rights[3]. These internal contradictions potentially complicate the EU's moral standing when raising rights concerns with international partners. Nevertheless, human rights organizations insist that a mature strategic partnership must embrace mutual scrutiny rather than silence on fundamental rights issues that affect millions of Indian citizens.
India's Legislative Framework Enabling Rights Abuses
Over the past decade under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India has developed an increasingly restrictive legislative architecture that critics argue systematically undermines fundamental rights and targets vulnerable populations. Central to these concerns is the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was enacted in 2019 but only operationalized through implementation rules in March 2024[5]. The CAA creates an expedited pathway to citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014[5]. However, the law notably excludes Muslims from this same pathway, creating what Amnesty International has called "a bigoted law that legitimizes discrimination on the basis of religion"[5]. This exclusion has been widely criticized as contrary to India's constitutional values of equality and secular governance.
The Indian government has also increasingly weaponized anti-terrorism and financial regulation laws to target dissidents and critics. Human rights organizations have documented the systematic misuse of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to intimidate, investigate, and imprison human rights defenders, journalists, and opposition figures[2]. These laws provide authorities with sweeping powers and limited judicial oversight, enabling their use as tools of political repression rather than legitimate security measures. The FCRA, in particular, has been deployed to restrict foreign funding for civil society organizations that criticize government policies, effectively strangling their operations and limiting their capacity to conduct human rights advocacy[6].
Beyond these existing laws, India has continued to develop new legislative tools that further restrict civic space and monitor online expression. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023, supplemented by draft rules published in January 2025, ostensibly aims to protect personal data but contains provisions that privacy advocates argue could facilitate state surveillance[8]. This legislation represents part of a broader pattern wherein seemingly neutral regulatory frameworks become instruments for restricting dissent and controlling information flows. Human rights organizations urge the EU to press for amendments to these abusive laws as a key component of any enhanced strategic partnership[3].
Persecution of Religious and Ethnic Minorities
The systematic discrimination against religious minorities, particularly Muslims, has emerged as one of the most troubling aspects of India's human rights landscape under the Modi government. Following the BJP's return to power in June 2024, Human Rights Watch and other organizations have documented intensifying patterns of violence, harassment, and structural discrimination targeting minority communities[6]. The election campaign itself featured inflammatory rhetoric from Prime Minister Modi and other BJP leaders that "incited discrimination, hostility, and violence against Muslims and other minorities"[6]. This political messaging has normalized bigotry and emboldened extremist elements to carry out attacks with apparent impunity.
The implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act in March 2024 represents a formalized codification of this discrimination into law. By excluding Muslims from pathways to citizenship available to other religious groups, the CAA has created what Amnesty International describes as "a blow to the Indian constitutional values of equality and religious non-discrimination"[5]. This legislation has generated widespread protests and international condemnation, including from United Nations human rights mechanisms. Beyond the CAA, Muslim communities have faced campaigns of economic boycott, restrictions on religious expression, and demolition of homes and businesses in what critics describe as collective punishment for alleged infractions by individuals[1].
Christians have also experienced escalating persecution, particularly in BJP-governed states. In Manipur, a northeastern state with significant Christian populations, ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 between the predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo community and the mostly Hindu Meitei community[6]. This conflict has claimed over 250 lives and displaced more than 60,000 people, with reports of fresh violence continuing into September 2024[6]. Human rights organizations have criticized the Indian government's inadequate response to this crisis and failure to hold perpetrators accountable. The EU commissioners' visit offers a crucial opportunity to press for protection of religious minorities and accountability for violence motivated by religious hatred[3].
Democratic Backsliding and Suppression of Dissent
A hallmark of India's deteriorating rights situation has been the systematic targeting of critical voices, including journalists, human rights defenders, and political opposition figures. This crackdown has intensified during election periods, raising serious concerns about democratic processes in what has long been celebrated as the world's largest democracy. In March 2024, ahead of national elections, Amnesty International warned that "the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Indian government's crackdown on peaceful dissent and opposition has now reached a crisis point"[7]. This assessment followed the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi's Chief Minister and a prominent opposition leader, alongside financial restrictions placed on the Indian National Congress party that severely limited its ability to campaign effectively[7].
The targeting of opposition voices has continued following the BJP's return to power in June 2024. Human Rights Watch notes that Indian authorities have "used abusive foreign funding laws such as the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act and the counterterrorism law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, trumped-up financial investigations, and other means to unlawfully attack civil society groups and activists"[6]. These legal mechanisms enable the government to freeze bank accounts, conduct intimidating raids, and detain critics without adequate due process protections. The application of these measures appears selectively targeted at those who challenge government policies or document rights abuses.
Particularly concerning is the expansion of this repression beyond India's borders. Recent reports indicate that "Indian authorities have been increasingly implicated in attempting to stifle dissent beyond India's borders, including through canceling critics' visas and targeting separatist leaders for assassination abroad"[6]. Multiple countries, including Canada, the United States, and Pakistan, have accused Indian intelligence agencies of involvement in extraterritorial targeting of perceived enemies of the state[6]. These allegations represent a troubling internationalization of India's domestic suppression tactics and raise serious questions about respect for sovereignty and international norms.
Digital Repression and Surveillance State
India has developed increasingly sophisticated mechanisms for controlling digital spaces and conducting surveillance on citizens, particularly those engaged in advocacy, journalism, or opposition politics. The OpenNet Initiative has classified India as engaging in "selective" internet filtering across political, security, social, and internet tools domains[4]. This censorship regime has evolved significantly since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, with authorities citing national security imperatives to justify expanding surveillance powers and pressuring technical service providers to comply with government directives[4].
Internet shutdowns have become a routine tactic employed by Indian authorities to control information flows during periods of political sensitivity or civil unrest. These shutdowns not only restrict freedom of expression but also impede economic activity, educational access, and emergency services. Reporters Without Borders placed India on its list of "countries under surveillance" as early as 2012, noting that "the national security policy of the world's biggest democracy is undermining freedom of expression and the protection of Internet users' personal data"[4]. This assessment has only become more relevant as digital control mechanisms have grown more sophisticated in the intervening years.
The draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules of 2025, published in January of this year, ostensibly aim to enhance transparency and strengthen consent mechanisms for data collection[8]. However, privacy advocates warn that certain provisions could facilitate government access to personal data under broadly defined exceptions for national security and public order. When combined with existing surveillance technologies and legal frameworks, these rules risk further empowering state monitoring of dissident voices. Human rights organizations urge the EU to address these digital rights concerns as an integral component of any comprehensive rights dialogue with India[2].
International Response and the EU's Diplomatic Challenge
The European Union's approach to India's human rights situation reflects broader tensions in international diplomacy between pursuing strategic interests and upholding normative commitments to human rights. Human rights organizations have criticized what they perceive as the EU's reluctance to publicly confront India's deteriorating rights record, arguing that this silence "encourages impunity and paves the way for further abuses"[2]. At a recent European Parliament hearing, members from across the political spectrum echoed calls for a more vocal approach to rights concerns in EU-India relations[3].
The EU-India human rights dialogue, which occurs annually, represents one formal mechanism for addressing these issues. In August 2024, ahead of that year's dialogue, five human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International issued a joint statement urging the EU to "press the government of India to immediately act to end serious human rights violations in the country"[1]. While acknowledging the importance of this dialogue, these organizations characterized it as "important, though insufficient" for addressing the scale and severity of rights concerns[1].
The February 2025 visit by EU commissioners presents a more significant opportunity for direct engagement with senior Indian leadership. Human rights advocates argue that the "unprecedented" nature of this visit demands an equally substantial response to rights concerns[3]. Specifically, they urge the commissioners to press for the release of unjustly imprisoned human rights defenders, amendments to abusive legislation, and an end to discriminatory policies targeting religious minorities[3]. However, this approach must navigate the complex reality that the EU itself faces significant human rights challenges, including declining rule of law standards in some member states and problematic migration policies[3].
Pathways Forward: Balancing Partnership with Principle
The European Commission's visit to India on February 27-28, 2025, presents both challenges and opportunities for advancing human rights while strengthening strategic ties. A robust approach would recognize that genuine partnership requires honest assessment of human rights concerns rather than diplomatic silence. The human rights organizations that have addressed EU leadership ahead of this visit emphasize that progress on bilateral relations should depend on tangible human rights improvements[3]. This conditionality approach would integrate rights concerns into trade, technology, and security discussions rather than treating them as a separate, lower-priority track.
Specific actions the EU commissioners could take include pressing for the release of imprisoned human rights defenders who have been detained under abusive applications of anti-terrorism and financial regulation laws. Organizations have documented numerous cases of activists, journalists, and opposition figures held in prolonged pre-trial detention on charges widely regarded as politically motivated[6]. Similarly, the commissioners could urge amendments to legislation that enables discrimination and repression, particularly the Citizenship Amendment Act and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act[2]. The discriminatory exclusion of Muslims from citizenship pathways under the CAA represents a clear violation of international human rights standards that the EU has historically championed.
The ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur presents another critical area for EU engagement. With over 250 deaths and 60,000 people displaced, this conflict demands greater international attention and accountability mechanisms[6]. EU commissioners could press for thorough investigations, accountability for perpetrators, and comprehensive relief for affected communities. Additionally, addressing the broad pattern of surveillance, internet shutdowns, and digital repression would align with the EU's stated commitment to digital rights globally[4].
Conclusion: The Imperative for Rights-Based Engagement
The European Union's "unprecedented visit" to India in February 2025 occurs at a critical juncture for human rights in the world's most populous democracy. Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India has experienced systematic erosion of protections for religious minorities, civil society activists, journalists, and political opposition. The legislative architecture enabling these abuses—from the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act to the misused anti-terrorism laws—requires urgent reform to align with international human rights standards and India's own constitutional values. The documented patterns of violence against Muslims and Christians, ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, and expanding digital repression collectively represent a human rights crisis demanding robust international response.
The EU commissioners face a significant diplomatic challenge in balancing strategic partnership goals with principled engagement on human rights. However, as human rights organizations have emphasized, these objectives need not be mutually exclusive. A genuine strategic partnership between democratic entities should incorporate mutual accountability on fundamental rights issues rather than diplomatic silence. The EU's own credibility as a global human rights actor depends on its willingness to address these concerns consistently with all partners, including those with whom it seeks stronger economic and security ties. By making future progress in EU-India relations contingent on tangible rights improvements, European leaders can advance both strategic interests and normative commitments to human dignity and democratic governance.
For Prime Minister Modi's government, addressing these human rights concerns represents not just an international obligation but an opportunity to strengthen India's democratic institutions and social fabric. The protection of minority rights, preservation of civic space, and commitment to equal citizenship regardless of religion are essential components of the diverse, pluralistic democracy that India aspires to be. As the European Commission engages with Indian leadership in this historic visit, the pathway toward a truly strategic partnership must include honest dialogue about these fundamental rights challenges and concrete steps toward their resolution.
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