In 2020, India has been ranked first in the Social Hostilities Index (SHI) released by US think-tank Pew Research Center.
India’s SHI in 2020 was worse than neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan.
This is also a further increase in its own index value for 2019.
SHI measures act of religious hostility by private individuals, organisations or groups in society.
The SHI measures act of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations or groups.
The index comprises 13 metrics, including religion-related armed conflict or terrorism and mob or sectarian violence.
The Government Restrictions Index (GRI) looks at laws, policies and state actions restricting religious beliefs and practices.
China was ranked the worst with a score of 9.3.
India’s 34th rank was enough to categorize it among countries with “high" levels of such government restrictions.
The GRI comprises 20 measures, including efforts by governments to ban particular faiths, prohibit conversion, limit preaching or give preferential treatment to one or more religious groups.
2020 was not India’s worst year on either index: 2016 was the worst with respect to social hostilities, and 2018 on government restrictions.