Christians in India are increasingly celebrating Christmas under fear, amid a documented rise in intimidation, vandalism, and physical attacks targeting the religious minority. A report by Nikkei Asia notes that during the 2025 Christmas season, churches in several Indian states held prayer services under police protection, while incidents such as the vandalization of Christmas decorations and harassment of carol singers were reported.
According to data from the United Christian Forum (UCF), recorded anti-Christian incidents have risen sharply from 139 cases in 2014 to 834 in 2024, with nearly 5,000 incidents documented nationwide over the past decade. As of November 2025, 706 incidents had already been recorded for the year, with Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh accounting for nearly half.
Christian groups attribute many of these incidents to allegations of forced religious conversions and the misuse of anti-conversion laws enacted or tightened in several states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While Prime Minister Narendra Modi made symbolic outreach gestures, including a Christmas Day church visit, Christian organizations stated that these actions do not reflect the “ground reality” of growing hostility and fear.
Source
Nikkei Asia
“Christians in India increasingly celebrate Christmas under fear of attack”
By Quratulain Rehbar
Published December 31, 2025
Link: https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/christians-in-india-increasingly-celebrate-christmas-under-fear-of-attack
