Praying for Mother India

Understanding Anti-Conversion Laws in India: A Call to Pray for Religious Freedom

To help you stay informed and pray more effectively for India, we invite you to take a few minutes to consider the growing religious freedom crisis unfolding across the country.

Anti-conversion laws in India date back to the 1930s and have evolved through many legal and political shifts. As of February 2023, 12 of India’s 28 states have formal anti-conversion legislation in place: Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

Each state enforces its law differently, and the language used varies widely. Some even treat inter-religious marriages as potential cases of forced conversion. This is a complex and constantly evolving issue—one that deserves close attention and deep prayer from those who care about the future of this great nation.

While many sources can help you stay updated, we’ve highlighted two resources as a starting point:

U.S. Source: The U.S. Department of State’s 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: India (published June 2022) outlines the gap between constitutional rights and what’s happening on the ground. Read the report here.
Indian Source: The Indian Constitution guarantees religious freedom in Articles 25 and 26, which are part of the broader set of rights outlined in Articles 12 to 35. A helpful academic PDF titled Freedom of Religion Under Indian Constitution from Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, a central university in Lucknow, provides more insight into this framework. Source: Freedom of religion under Indian Constitution.pdf

This university is named after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the social reformer and architect of the Indian Constitution. (Source: Wikipedia)

Unfortunately, more states—including Maharashtra, where Grace Bible College is located—are now considering similar anti-conversion laws. Leaders in these regions are closely studying the states already enforcing such legislation. (Source: uscirf.gov)

How You Can Pray for India

Pray for justice to prevail and for India’s leaders to make decisions rooted in truth and integrity.
Pray for those who have placed their faith in Christ—many are under heavy pressure to return to Hinduism.
Pray for pastors and church leaders, especially in rural and tribal areas, as they shepherd congregations during this difficult time.
Pray for the 2024 elections, where religious freedom is a frontline issue for both incumbents and challengers.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. Please re-read Dr. Pramod Tantarpale’s article on pages one and three as you pray for Mother India—and for God’s mercy and grace to flow across her people.