Hostilities against Christians increased in 2025, with 747 incidents of violence, intimidation and discrimination marking a continued rise over prior years, according to the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India.
The figure represents a significant increase over the 640 incidents recorded in 2024 and over five times the 147 cases documented in 2014, continuing a decade-long upward trend against the Christian minority that constitutes about 2.3% of India’s population.
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The Commission received more than 915 reports during the year; the 747 documented cases reflect only those that passed a rigorous multi-source verification process.
Vijayesh Lal, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, said 747 documented incidents in the report released on March 24 reflect patterns that require careful attention.
“At the heart of this issue is the need to ensure that the constitutional guarantees of freedom of conscience and the equal protection of the law are upheld for all citizens,” Lal said.
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Entitled, “Hate and Targeted Violence Against Christians in India: Yearly Report 2025,” the report draws on a nationwide network of field coordinators, legal advisers, partner organizations and direct testimony from victims and church leaders. For an incident to be included, the Commission required confirmation from at least two independent sources, which could include the victim or family, local Christian leaders or police authorities.
Patterns of Persecution
Threats and harassment remained the most prevalent form of hostility, accounting for 204 cases, the largest single category of the year.
Physical violence was recorded in 112 instances, while 110 involved disruption of church services or prayer meetings. Legal pressure emerged as a particularly noticeable tool, with 86 arrests and 98 cases involving false accusations or criminal complaints, most of them tied to allegations of unlawful religious conversion.
The Commission also logged 42 cases of social boycott, 27 instances of organized hate campaigns, 24 of vandalism, eight of gender-based violence, seven in which church buildings were burned and one murder.
December saw the highest number of incidents with 85 cases, coinciding with the Advent and Christmas season, a period when Christian worship gatherings and public celebrations become more visible. March followed with 78 incidents and October with 73.
The second half of the year showed a pattern of sustained escalation. Despite falling below December and March, June (68 cases), September (67 cases), and July (66 cases) all recorded elevated numbers.
“The clustering of incidents during periods of heightened religious visibility suggests that Christian communities may face increased vulnerability to disruption, intimidation, and targeted hostility precisely when they are most publicly active in their faith,” the report noted.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by Morning Star News.
