As the U.S. is negotiating trade deals with a slew of foreign nations, religious freedom experts are warning that the ongoing persecution of Christians in one nation may make it an unsuitable trade partner. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that Vice President J.D. Vance, who is currently visiting India with his family, has negotiated terms of reference for a trade deal with the nation.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins on Tuesday night urged the U.S. government to consider the state of religious liberty in India while negotiating with the nation’s Hindu nationalist government. “As the U.S. government conducts trade negotiations with India, religious freedom for Christians and other minorities must be a part of the discussion,” Perkins wrote on social media, noting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his administration show “indifference toward non-Hindus” and fail to put a stop to persecution of Christians within the country. He added, “India has a dismal record when it comes to religious freedom.”

On Tuesday night’s episode of “Washington Watch,” Perkins said that he is “a bit concerned” about a trade deal between America and India that does not take into account religious liberty violations occurring in India. “I’m not sure that they’re a great trade partner, when we look at their human rights record,” he stated. Perkins continued, “When I was on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), we constantly recommended them [as] a Country of Particular Concern because of the tremendous threat that Christians have in that country.” He asked Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) whether India can be considered “a great trade partner when they have such a dismal record on human rights?”

Davidson replied, “Human rights always used to feature prominently in our negotiations with countries; it was always part of our diplomacy.” He said that although India is “a good prospect for an ally” and has interests closely aligned with those of the U.S., “our cultures are pretty different.” He continued, “Part of our relationship should be, ‘You don’t have to totally accept our culture, but you shouldn’t be hostile to it.’ And religious freedom is central to what makes America America. We certainly would love to see that be more accepted in India, and I think their people would too.” The congressman noted, “There’s a reason a lot of people leave India for the opportunities here in America. There’s a large Indian expat community here in America; they send a lot of money back home to India, and I think they stay in America for a lot of reasons. Part of that may be religious freedom.”

As Perkins observed, USCIRF recommended late last month that India be designated a Country of Particular Concern by the State Department due to religious liberty violations. Anti-conversion laws in the country have resulted in numerous Christians being arrested and prosecuted and the India’s Hindu nationalist government has refused to intervene in cases of “vigilante violence, targeted and arbitrary killings, and demolition of property and places of worship” against religious minorities, especially Christians and Muslims — in fact, the government has even supported or encouraged such behavior in some cases, according to USCIRF.

A Family Research Council report released in February recounted that 2023 saw nearly 700 “incidents of violence against Christians” and, between 2020 and 2023, over 850 people in India were arrested and detained on charges of “illegal conversion” stemming from anti-conversion laws in 12 out of the country’s 28 states. “Indian officials consistently downplay violent attacks against religious minorities and fail to take adequate steps to protect them. In some cases, local authorities participate in the targeting of minorities,” the report noted. FRC recommended, “When engaging with the Indian government, the United States should address the disturbing rise in attacks on Christians and other religious minorities that has occurred since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rose to power.”

Arielle Del Turco, director of the Center for Religious Liberty at Family Research Council, said in comments to The Washington Stand, “Vice President Vance has mentioned the issue of free speech rights in relation to the United States’ trade agreements with the United Kingdom. Clearly, the administration is making decisions about how the U.S. will relate to other countries with an eye on their human rights record, especially free speech and religious freedom.” She added, “That should be a warning for other countries that want to do business with the United States, including India.”