Examining the Impact of Anti-Conversion Laws on Christian Converts and Religious Freedom in India

India enshrines freedom of religion as a fundamental right in its Constitution. As a diverse nation with multiple faiths, India has grappled with religious conflicts related to propagation and conversion. Eleven Indian states have anti-conversion laws regulating religious conversion by force, allurement, inducement or fraud. These have sparked debate, with critics arguing that terms and definitions in these laws are ambiguous; they curtail the fundamental right to freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution and conflict with international human rights principles. While these laws apply broadly, this article specifically focuses on their impact on conversion to Christianity, which has been the primary site of political and legal contestation. This limitation is intentional, as conversion to Christianity has attracted disproportionate legislative attention, frequent allegations of inducement and targeted state action—unlike conversions to Buddhism or Islam. This article examines anti-conversion laws in various Indian states, assessing their impact on the fundamental right of religious freedom, particularly for Christian converts. Using secondary data and judicial interpretations, the article contends that these laws impose limitations on freedom of religion. It evaluates the ambiguity present in these state laws and their departure from international human rights standards, aiming to clarify the scope of religious freedom in the Indian context.