India

In Rakhine, the Arakan Army – like the military junta – is forcibly recruiting men and women, exacerbating the civil war and aggravating the humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, Rohingya face continued abuses after fleeing abroad. India is accused of arbitrarily detaining refugees and illegally pushing some back at sea, while fuelling the stigmatisation of Muslim refugees at home.

A Yanadi tribal family forced into bonded labour at a duck farm. The mother, desperate for news of her nine-year-old son held as "collateral", was fed a string of lies by the employer. Bishop Thakur of the Indian Bishops’ Commission for Migrants: "Slavery, though officially illegal, remains a deep stain on the conscience of a country that presents itself as an economic powerhouse".

The Madras High Court issues a controversial ruling that strips a woman of her rights as a member of a historically marginalised group because she married a Christian man while remaining Hindu. For Fr Santhanam, a Jesuit and a lawyer, this is a serious violation of the rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution. It is paradoxical that a principle recognised in Canon Law for mixed couples is disregarded by a court in the 21st century.

Even during military operations against Pakistan-administered Kashmir, false reports had already begun to circulate in India. But the repressive measures have continued even after the violence subsided. The government has shut down thousands of accounts and banned Pakistani media. A university professor has been jailed over a critical post, and at least 11 citizens have been arrested on charges of espionage.

The exiled National Unity Government slammed the summary killing of members of a local defence force by the Assam Rifles in Manipur, a state in north-eastern India affected by ethnic violence for the past two years. Indian authorities claim the dead were “armed extremists" and that they seized a trove of weapons. Myanmar’s resistance movement calls for an investigation into the incident and the suspension of fence construction along the Indo-Myanmar border.

The Archbishop of Goa and President of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences reflects with AsiaNews on Pope Prevost’s inaugural homily: “Love for all, unity in diversity, closeness to the poor and to cultures – this must be our way of being Church. We await him in our beloved India. And we will invite him to the FABC Assembly scheduled for 2026 in Malaysia.”

MP John Brittas calls for compensation for relatives of Covid deaths in light of new Civil Registration System (CRS) data. “Thousands of claimants excluded.” There is a “disturbing discrepancy” between the government’s official tally and the actual number of deaths. Gujarat’s death toll is 33 times higher. The government is estimated to have saved around €1 billion.

After years of disregarding opposition demands, the Indian government has changed course and decided to include caste classification in the next national census. Behind the political move lie electoral pressures and the growing influence of disadvantaged castes. No official date has been set, but according to local media, the census is expected to take place in 2026.

Son of a prominent activist and politician, he took office after being sworn in before President Droupadi Murmu. He will serve a six-month term, until 23 November. Fr Raj: the appointment is a “sign” of the “hard work and perseverance” through which Dalits today can aspire to the highest positions.

While the governments in New Delhi and Islamabad each claim victory after the ceasefire in Kashmir, the ceasefire is bringing some relief to an exhausted population. Meanwhile, extremists continue to fuel hatred on social media. Political tensions remain an obstacle to dialogue. Bishops on both sides of the border have launched appeals for a future of peace and shared development.

The archbishop emeritus of Bombay (Mumbai), representative of Asia on Pope Francis’s Council of Cardinals, wrote to AsiaNews about the new pope. “He brings hopes, expectations, understanding, openness and a missionary thrust,” the cardinal writes. Leo is a pastor “shaped by Saint Augustine the ‘Doctor of Grace’ when he says the Church must illuminate the ‘dark nights of this world’.

After attacking each other in the past couple of days, both sides continue to launch air strikes and drones, with emergency measures imposed along the border. The two countries accuse each other of starting the violence and infiltrating their respective territory. New Delhi has also intensified non-military measures against Islamabad, putting pressure on the International Monetary Fund, as well as blocking parts of the Internet. It has also taken advantage of tensions to crack down on domestic opposition.