Hate speech targeting religious minorities surged across India in 2025, particularly following border tensions with Pakistan, according to a new report by the India Hate Lab (IHL), a project of the Washington DC-based Center for the Study of Organized Hate.
The report documented at least 1,318 hate speech events targeting Muslims and Christians last year, averaging four incidents per day. This represents a 13 per cent increase from 2024 and nearly double the number recorded in 2023.
A concentrated spike occurred after a terror attack in the Kashmiri village of Pahalgam on 22 April, which killed 26 people. India accused Pakistan of harbouring the attackers and launched air strikes, leading to four days of fierce clashes. In the 16 days following the attack, 98 in-person hate speech events were recorded nationwide.
Eviane Leidig, director of research at the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, said the spike was “not a surprise”, noting that interstate conflicts often fuel domestic divisions. “Tensions between India and Pakistan create this perfect storm for mobilising activities,” she said.
Nearly 88 per cent of hate speech events occurred in states governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Uttar Pradesh recording the highest number (266 incidents). The report found that the surge took place in a non-election year, which researchers described as deeply concerning.
Pawan Khera, a spokesperson for the opposition Congress party, said the findings likely capture only a fraction of the truth, pointing to a pattern of political patronage and normalisation of hate. The BJP had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
