TODAY, India’s BJP is alleged to resurrect and orchestrate political, religious and cultural transnationalism under Hindutva and the RSS, reflecting India’s disputed attempt at expanding its cultural and political influence beyond national borders.
In this controversial desire to reposition itself as the guardian of Hindu identity under the banner of the RSS, the BJP regime faces intense scrutiny due to its alleged involvement in promoting right-wing terrorism at both the domestic and international level. Needless to say, under premier Naredndra Modi, India’s departure from a secular state to an extremist Hindu state has certainly raised global concerns.
India is actively facing severe, internationally investigated allegations from Western intelligence and human rights bodies regarding a global campaign of transnational repression, intimidation and violence targeting diaspora dissidents, specifically within the Sikh community. On May 15, Reuters reported that India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is actively lobbying foreign governments and institutions in the US, UK and Germany to counter international criticism over rising hate speech and violence against religious minorities in India. The RSS has engaged a prominent US lobbying firm to counter the raising concerns regarding RSS’s alleged role in domestic and international terrorism while making an impotent effort to shape global narratives and defend its domestic policies abroad.
And yet, the resurgence of India’s transnationalism under Hindutva and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) reflects a shift from a domestic cultural project to a globally embedded ideological movement. Driven by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—the political wing of the RSS—India leverages its massive diaspora to project cultural power, shape international public opinion and influence geopolitics. Some observers draw parallels between India’s RSS and Nazi Germany’s SS and SA, citing organizational structure, paramilitary training and nationalist ideology. Both groups emphasize discipline, youth mobilization and the promotion of a dominant ethnic or religious identity—Aryan in Nazi Germany, Hindu in the RSS.
“RSS is known as a fascist organization because if you look at the writings of the first ideologues of RSS, they bring inspiration from Mussolini and Hitler,” Apoorvanand, a Hindi professor at the University of Delhi who writes literary and cultural criticism, told Al Jazeera. Critics argue that the RSS’s Hindutva ideology seeks to establish Hindu supremacy, similar to how Nazism pursued Aryan supremacy. The modern incarnation of Indian transnationalism operates on the premise that Hindu culture is the unifying anchor for people of Indian origin worldwide. Through networks of overseas branches (like the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh), the movement tries to promotes India’s image as Hitler’s Nazi party played in the Third Reich.
The Nazi Party’s paramilitary wing, the Sturmabteilung (SA), is often compared to India’s RSS due to their organizational structure, emphasis on physical training and role in promoting nationalist ideology. Both groups functioned as grassroots mobilizers, fostering loyalty to a dominant national identity—Hindu in the case of the RSS and Aryan in the case of the SA. The RSS, like the SA, cultivated discipline, uniformity and a militant spirit to advance its political goals, though the RSS denies direct ideological links to Nazism. However, some scholars note similarities in rhetoric, hierarchy and mass mobilization tactics, particularly as outlined in M.S. Golwalkar’s writings.
Studies reflect that the transnational ecosystem is supported by a variety of affiliate organizations within the Sangh Parivar. These groups engage in cultural outreach, lobbying, digital advocacy and philanthropic endeavors, tying global Indian communities directly to the domestic political agenda of New Delhi. Social media and digital surveillance networks play a major role in this transnationalism. They allow diaspora groups to participate in culture-war politics, amplify narratives favorable to the ruling administration and mobilize international support for policies concerning the Indian subcontinent.
That said, India’s foreign policy has shifted from historic anti-imperialist and pro-Palestinian stances to deeper strategic alignment with Israel, driven by shared geopolitical interests, defense partnerships and ideological convergence. This transformation reflects a reconfiguration of transnationalism—not rooted in global solidarity but in selective alliances. While India once condemned Zionism as racism, it now engages in extensive military, technological and diplomatic cooperation with Israel. This shift underscores how nationalist and religious currents within Indian politics have influenced foreign policy realignments, prioritizing security over historical principles.
The arguments tabling for the designation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Hindutva movement as global terrorist organizations focus on alleged systematic violence against minorities, structural ideology and connections to transnational terror financing. Critics and advocacy groups highlight several primary justifications. And undeniably, this majoritarian Indian ideology seeks to suppress diverse cultural and religious identities in favor of a homogenized, militant Hindu identity. Moreover, critics frequently target the financial and logistical networks that connect domestic Hindutva organizations with international affiliates. Reports suggest that overseas chapters and charities route funds through complex financial mechanisms masquerading as philanthropic or cultural work. Additionally, India’s sponsored state terrorism in South Asia has become a regional reality. India’s military officials intermittently try to intimidate a nuclear power Pakistan without realizing the gravity of its shameful defeat in May, 2025 war with Pakistan.
The EU has expressed alarm over increasing polarization, erosion of secular norms and violence linked to communal agendas. While the Indian government denies these allegations, international observers highlight the need for accountability and protection of minority rights under the guise of national identity. These concerns reflect broader debates on democracy, pluralism and foreign policy responses to democratic backsliding.”
Further, security analysts point to overlaps between the Hindutva ideology and global white supremacist movements. For instance, certain manifestos of far-right terrorists, such as the perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks, were allegedly influenced by Hindu nationalist literature. Various international oversight bodies—such as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)—have documented systemic persecution of religious minorities in India. To conclude. It remains an indisputable fact that India’s domestic and foreign policy under premier Narendra Modi is subject to international scrutiny and examination. Against this backdrop, International scrutiny surrounding the RSS and Hindutva-linked politics is reportedly increasing amid growing concerns over minority rights, religious intolerance and extremist rhetoric in India.
—The writer is an independent IR & International Law analyst, based in Karachi.
