Advocates Alarmed Over Scale Christian Persecution in China, India; Millions Facing Raids and Church Attacks

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

ISLAMABAD / NEW DELHI / BEIJING (Worthy News) – Christian activists say religious freedom is under “unprecedented threat” in China and India, citing a sharp escalation in government actions and extremist violence targeting believers.

China is home to an estimated 60–100 million Christians, many of them worshipping in unregistered house churches, while India has roughly 70 million Christians, or about five percent of its 1.4-billion population, according to church and academic estimates.

Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of Pakistan-based advocacy group LEAD Ministries, told Worthy News that authorities in China have intensified pressure on independent Christian communities.

Gill cited “disturbing reports” that police raided the homes and offices of leaders from the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, detaining several senior pastors. Some reportedly remain in custody without formal charges.

Church officials described the raids as “a deliberate attempt to silence independent Christian worship,” Gill said.

CHINA’S WORLD RANKING RAISES ALARM

China currently ranks 19th on the World Watch List compiled by the international Christian advocacy group Open Doors, which tracks countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.

Human rights observers say recent actions reflect a broader strategy by the Chinese Communist Party to suppress house churches and independent Christian communities operating outside state control.

“Faith in Christ cannot be crushed by intimidation or force,” Gill stressed. “Arresting pastors and bulldozing churches is a blatant attack on human rights and freedom of belief.”

The crackdown comes amid concern within China’s officially atheistic leadership over the continued spread of Christianity. Analysts say the rapid growth of underground house churches—especially among urban and younger populations—has alarmed authorities.

That development is widely believed to have contributed to the intensifying crackdown on devout Christians, Gill explained.

INDIA ATTACKS HIGHLIGHT HOSTILITY

Gill also voiced concern over developments in India, where he said extremist and nationalist groups have increasingly disrupted Christian life.

India ranks 11th on the World Watch List, reflecting a sharp rise in pressure on Christians in recent years, particularly in states enforcing anti-conversion laws.

According to reports cited by Gill, Christmas celebrations were disrupted, churches vandalized, and pastors harassed in several regions.

Worshippers were allegedly intimidated, underscoring what he described as a growing threat to Christian communities in the Hindu-majority nation.

“Persecution is no longer isolated to one country,” Gill warned. He noted that he and his family are in hiding following death threats linked to his Christian advocacy work.

CALLS FOR GLOBAL ACTION

“When churches are attacked in China, and pastors are harassed in India, it signals a dangerous global trend,” he noticed, adding that “millions of believers” now live under constant pressure for practicing their faith.

Gill urged the international community, governments, and human rights organizations to respond decisively to the worsening situation.

“Religious freedom is a fundamental human right,” he told Worthy News.

“The world must not remain silent while millions of Christians face harassment, imprisonment, and violence for peacefully practicing their faith.”

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