Silent exodus of Indian Muslims amid rising Islamophobia
Silent exodus of Indian Muslims amid rising Islamophobia
India is witnessing a growing silent exodus of its Muslim citizens, reflecting mounting concerns over rising Islamophobia and state-backed discrimination. Muslims, who make up around 15% of India’s population, now account for nearly a third of the country’s emigrants—many leaving not due to poverty, but to escape fear, insecurity, and systemic bias.
Under the rule of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), legal and social pressures on Muslims have intensified. From the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act, which excludes Muslims from refugee protections, to a rise in hate crimes, mosque attacks, and restrictions on Islamic gatherings, minority communities report feeling increasingly targeted.
Testimonies suggest a pattern of official complicity or indifference in violence against Muslims, raising alarm about the erosion of India’s pluralism. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s 2025 report labeled India a “country of particular concern,” citing systematic religious freedom violations in the world’s largest democracy.
