On 19 January 2026, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) issued three formal communications to the Government of India under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedures, signalling serious concerns about patterns of racial discrimination and alleged grave human rights violations across multiple regions of the country.
The three letters, addressed to India’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, relate to:
- the situation of Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam;
- the treatment of tribal and forest-dwelling Indigenous peoples in areas designated as tiger reserves; and
- the situation of Indigenous Adivasi peoples in the Bastar district.
Together, the communications represent an unusually strong intervention by the UN body, which monitors state compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Concerns over Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam
In its letter on Assam, CERD acknowledged India’s response to earlier correspondence but said it remained troubled by the lack of information addressing core allegations of racial discrimination against Bengali-speaking Muslims during the update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The Committee cited concerns over procedural irregularities, difficulties in obtaining documentation, and the disproportionate impact of the NRC process on those classified as “non-original inhabitants”, a term it noted lacks a clear legal definition.
CERD also raised alarm over allegations of systematic forced evictions carried out without adequate housing or compensation, as well as reports of increased hate speech, incitement to violence, and excessive use of force by law enforcement, particularly during the 2024 national elections in Assam.
Indigenous peoples and tiger reserve relocations
A second letter focused on tribal and forest-dwelling Indigenous peoples living within India’s tiger reserves. While noting India’s explanations regarding conservation laws and guidelines for voluntary relocation, the Committee said it had not received sufficient detail to address allegations that communities were not meaningfully consulted or that their free, prior and informed consent was obtained.
CERD expressed concern about the absence of impact assessment studies and the risk of displacement without adequate alternative housing or compensation, calling on India to provide updated information on how it is ensuring compliance with international human rights standards in conservation-related relocations.
“Unprecedented” violations in Bastar
The Committee’s strongest language was reserved for Bastar in Chhattisgarh, where Indigenous Adivasi peoples make up around 70 per cent of the population. CERD noted reports that, since January 2024, there has been a sharp escalation in security operations against non-State armed groups, leading to “widespread and unprecedented” violations of human rights.
According to information received by the Committee, at least 500 Indigenous Adivasi people, including civilians, were reportedly killed between January 2024 and October 2025 during security operations. The letter also refers to allegations of extrajudicial and unlawful killings, arbitrary detentions under security legislation, excessive use of force, aerial bombardments of villages, and intimidation of journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders.
CERD further raised concerns about the lack of effective, independent investigations into alleged abuses by security forces and claims that victims are routinely labelled as militants in official records, limiting families’ access to justice.
Deadline for India’s response
Invoking Article 9(1) of the Convention and Article 66 of its Rules of Procedure, CERD has requested the Government of India to provide detailed information addressing the allegations raised in all three letters. In the case of Bastar, India has been asked to respond by 17 April 2026.
The Committee said it wished to continue a “constructive dialogue” with India but underscored that, if verified, the reported practices would constitute serious breaches of India’s obligations under international law to eliminate racial discrimination and protect the rights of minorities and Indigenous peoples
