US taking aim at India’s religious, IP rights

Rattled by India’s neutrality on the Ukraine conflict thus far, the US-led West may target India on issues of religious rights and intellectual property. The US is already building a case, writes ETV Bharat's Sanjib Kr Baruah.

NEW DELHI:With the Russian military action on Ukraine being a key point on the agenda of PM Narendra Modi’s Europe tour that began Monday, chinks in India’s principled stand are already being located by the US and its western allies with issues of ‘human and religious rights’ and ‘intellectual property rights’ in India being primary targets. India already figures on two US recently-released lists—one on the ‘lack’ of religious freedom and the other on ‘intellectual property’ (IP) rights.

Property Rights

Last Wednesday (April 27, 2022), the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) included India in its 2022 ‘Special 301 Report’ on the adequacy and effectiveness of US trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights. Besides India, Russia and China, the list included Argentina, Chile, Indonesia and Venezuela.

Interestingly, while India, China, Argentina, Indonesia, and Venezuela have refused to categorically condemn the Russia action and expressed their opposition to the US-led economic sanctions, it is only Chile that has condemned Russia. The ‘Special 301’ reports on the adequacy and effectiveness of US trading partners’ protection and enforcement of IP rights.

For the 2022 report, USTR had researched and enhanced engagement with stakeholders of more than 100 countries. The report said: “Seven countries—Argentina, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, and Venezuela—are on the Priority Watch List. These countries will be the subject of particularly intense bilateral engagement during the coming year.” On India, it said: “India remains one of the world’s most challenging major economies with respect to protection and enforcement of IP.”

Religious Rights

India had already figured as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) in a group of 15 countries in the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report for 2022 that was released exactly a week ago on Monday (April 25, 2022). Incidentally, India again finds place in the group along with Russia and China in the US report which claimed that the Joe Biden administration “indicated that its foreign policy priorities will include championing human rights.”

While Russia has been included in the CPC group for the first time, the 15-country group also includes Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. On India, the report said: “In 2021, religious freedom conditions in India significantly worsened. During the year, the Indian government escalated its promotion and enforcement of policies — including those promoting a Hindu-nationalist agenda — that negatively affect Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and other religious minorities.”

“The government continued to systemize its ideological vision of a Hindu state at both the national and state levels through the use of both existing and new laws and structural changes hostile to the country’s religious minorities.” The USCIRF in its report recommended freezing those individuals’ or entities’ assets and/or bar their entry into the US while advocating that the US Congress should “raise religious freedom issues in the US-India bilateral relationship.”

Tug of War

At a time when there is a tug of war between the US-led bloc and the Russia-China axis to draw in an increasingly powerful India into their respective camps in a newly-emerging world order, there is reason to believe that both camps will try to identify India’s weaknesses in case India allies with the other camp.

The appreciation and understanding of the Indian position by both blocs also underlines the commendable role of Indian diplomacy that a fine balance and equidistance has been maintained till now. Modi’s Europe visit will try to cement the Indian position even further. Just before his journey, the PM had stated: “My visit to Europe comes at a time when the region faces many challenges and choices.”

On Monday, Modi will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin before flying to Copenhagen for the two-day India-Nordic Summit from May 3 where he will join the PMs of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway. The Indian PM will end his European tour with a stopover in France where he will meet President Emmanuel Macron.

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