Racism in India and Diasporic Alignments with Zionism

In an era defined by rising authoritarianism and global inequality, India’s persistent caste-based discrimination and rising ethnonationalism stand in stark contrast to its democratic ideals. Meanwhile, segments of the Indian diaspora—particularly in the United States—are forging curious and often troubling alliances with right-wing and Zionist movements. This convergence, rooted in shared ideologies of supremacy and exclusion, demands closer scrutiny.

Caste Apartheid and Ethnic Discrimination in Modern India

Though officially abolished, caste remains a brutal social stratifier in India. The Dalit community—formerly “untouchables”—continues to face systemic marginalization, often denied equal access to education, employment, and basic dignity. Meanwhile, people from India’s Northeast endure racial abuse, branded “foreigners” in their own country.

Cases like that of Nido Taniam, a young Arunachali student beaten to death in Delhi in 2014, exposed the raw undercurrent of racism that many in urban India deny. Discrimination also finds digital expression: hate speech targeting Muslims, Christians, and Dalits flourishes across Indian social media platforms, often unchecked.

India’s Engineered Islamophobia: The Global Epicenter of Anti-Muslim Propaganda

​India has emerged as a significant source of anti-Muslim propaganda, with a marked increase in hate speech and disinformation targeting Muslim communities. A 2025 report by India Hate Lab documented 1,165 incidents of hate speech against minorities in 2024, reflecting a 74% rise from the previous year. These incidents were predominantly associated with political rallies, religious processions, and protests, with a notable concentration in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies.

The dissemination of anti-Muslim narratives has been facilitated by various media, including the emergence of “Hindutva pop,” a genre promoting Hindu nationalist themes. This music often contains lyrics that denigrate Muslims and has been played during events that escalated into communal violence. For instance, in April 2022, a Hindu New Year procession in Karauli, Rajasthan, featured such music, leading to significant unrest and injuries.

Digital platforms have also played a crucial role in amplifying anti-Muslim propaganda. Research analyzing Twitter activity revealed the spread of disinformation accusing Muslims of various societal issues, employing strategies like creating mediatized hate solidarities and practicing online vigilantism.

Furthermore, the “Love Jihad” conspiracy theory, alleging that Muslim men conspire to convert Hindu women to Islam under the guise of love, has gained traction, leading to vigilante assaults and legislative actions in several states. This narrative has been instrumental in fostering mistrust and animosity towards Muslim communities.

These developments underscore a troubling trend of institutionalized Islamophobia in India, with state mechanisms and media contributing to the marginalization of Muslim populations. Addressing this issue requires comprehensive efforts to counteract disinformation, promote interfaith dialogue, and uphold the principles of secularism and inclusivity enshrined in India’s constitution.

Indias Rape Culture

India faces a deeply entrenched crisis of gender-based violence, with rape, domestic abuse, and public harassment affecting women across all strata of society. Despite legal reforms following the brutal 2012 Delhi gang rape, known as the Nirbhaya case, the culture of impunity remains strong. Survivors often face victim-blaming, prolonged legal battles, and societal ostracization.

Police and political institutions have repeatedly failed to ensure justice, with cases like the 2019 Unnao rape—where the survivor was attacked after accusing a ruling party legislator—highlighting systemic rot. Violence against women is not limited to strangers; marital rape remains legal, and caste plays a brutal role, with Dalit women particularly targeted in both rural and urban settings. Honor killings, acid attacks, and child sexual abuse further illustrate the pervasive normalization of violence.

The media, while sometimes a platform for justice, often sensationalizes these cases without pushing for structural change. India’s rape crisis is not just a criminal issue—it’s a societal malaise sustained by patriarchy, caste hierarchy, and political inertia.

From Hindutva to the Heart of the American Right

Indian Americans are often hailed as a “model minority.” Yet, behind this label lies a potent political force. Many prominent Indian Americans—especially those aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Hindutva ideology—have grown increasingly connected to conservative Zionist and right-wing groups across the globe.

This alignment is not accidental. Hindutva and Zionism share common ideological threads: ethnonationalism, a sense of cultural supremacy, and an exclusionary view of citizenship. These affinities have manifested in political contributions, joint lobbying efforts, and even personal relationships.

Organizations like the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) have been criticized for whitewashing caste discrimination while allying with U.S. conservative think tanks. Politicians like Vivek Ramaswamy have echoed anti-woke and anti-Muslim rhetoric that eerily mirrors both Hindutva and Zionist discourse.

Indian Americans in US Politics

The involvement of Indian Americans in the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement has been multifaceted, marked by both support and recent tensions. Initially, figures like Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC), emerged as prominent supporters of Donald Trump, citing shared views on issues like immigration and national security. Kumar notably contributed significant funds to Trump’s 2016 campaign and organized events to bolster his support within the Indian American community.

However, this alliance has faced strains, particularly over immigration policies affecting skilled workers from India. The appointment of Indian American venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan as an AI policy adviser in the Trump administration sparked controversy among some MAGA supporters, highlighting internal divisions over immigration stances. Additionally, cultural and religious differences have contributed to challenges in fully integrating Indian Americans into the broader MAGA framework. For instance, evangelical segments within the movement have exhibited skepticism towards non-Christian affiliations, impacting figures like Vivek Ramaswamy and Usha Vance.

These dynamics underscore the complexities of Indian American participation in the MAGA movement, reflecting a balance between political alignment and cultural identity. Indian Americans have carved a distinctive niche within the MAGA movement, with figures like Kash Patel and Vivek Ramaswamy exemplifying this alignment.

Patel, a former public defender turned high-level Trump official, rose to prominence through his role in challenging the Russia investigation narrative and was later appointed FBI Director under Trump’s second term. His legal and national security credentials, combined with his staunch loyalty to the former president, made him a MAGA icon.

Similarly, entrepreneur and GOP presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy garnered MAGA support through his anti-woke rhetoric and calls for dismantling the administrative state. Their presence, along with influencers like Shalabh “Shalli” Kumar and allies in the Republican Hindu Coalition, reflects a growing political synergy between right-wing Hindu nationalism and American conservatism. While these individuals have helped expand the MAGA base, their positions also underscore internal tensions—such as cultural and religious differences—that complicate full integration into a movement largely rooted in Christian nationalism.

Usha Vance and Kamala Harris represent two contrasting narratives of Indian American identity within U.S. politics. Usha Vance (née Chilukuri), the wife of Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, comes from a Telugu-speaking family with roots in Andhra Pradesh, India. A Yale Law School graduate and former law clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, she has largely maintained a low public profile while supporting her husband’s ascent in right-wing politics and his alignment with the MAGA movement.

In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris, born to an Indian mother from Tamil Nadu and a Jamaican father, has embraced her multicultural heritage as a cornerstone of her political identity. Harris frequently references her Indian upbringing, crediting her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, as a key influence in her pursuit of justice and public service. While Harris represents a liberal, progressive integration of Indian American identity into U.S. politics, Usha Vance symbolizes a quieter, more traditional embodiment aligned with conservative values—highlighting the diverse ideological spectrum within the Indian American diaspora.

The Bipartisan Indian American Embrace of Pro-Israel Power

Despite their divergent public personas and political alignments, figures like Kash Patel, Usha Vance, Vivek Ramaswamy, and even Kamala Harris are connected through a consistent and strategic alignment with pro-Israel policies—often interpreted by critics as tacit or explicit support for state violence against Palestinians. In the MAGA orbit, Patel and Ramaswamy have both echoed unwavering support for Israel’s military actions, framing them within broader narratives of anti-terrorism and Western civilizational defense. Usha Vance, while less vocal, is closely tied to a political network—through her husband J.D. Vance—that has shifted from isolationist rhetoric to enthusiastic backing of Israeli offensives post-October 7.

Kamala Harris, from the Democratic side, has also maintained staunch support for Israel, endorsing military aid and defending U.S. vetoes against ceasefire resolutions, despite international condemnation and mounting evidence of human rights violations. This bipartisan consensus—stretching from hardline conservatives to establishment liberals—reflects a shared geopolitical calculus, one that often marginalizes Palestinian voices and enables policies critics describe as genocidal. In this convergence, pro-Israel advocacy becomes a political litmus test, uniting otherwise disparate figures through a stance that privileges militarized dominance over humanitarian accountability.

When Ideologies Cross the Aisle—and the Altar

Beyond politics, these ideological intersections appear in private spheres as well. Increasingly, we observe couples across the U.S. where one partner is of Indian descent with roots in Hindutva-linked communities, and the other is affiliated with right-wing or Zionist networks. These unions reflect more than just romance—they illustrate how political ideologies can traverse cultural lines, binding people together through shared beliefs in ethno-religious identity and perceived civilizational superiority.

Senator J.D. Vance and his wife Usha Vance (née Chilukuri) represent a high-profile Indian American–MAGA alliance. As Vance has risen to prominence within the right-wing populist wing of the Republican Party, Usha has remained mostly out of the spotlight, yet her presence symbolizes the increasing visibility of Indian Americans within conservative, often pro-Israel political spaces.

On the other hand, Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff form a groundbreaking political couple that bridges Indian American and Jewish American identities. Emhoff, the first Second Gentleman of the United States and a practicing Jew, has been outspoken in his defense of Israel, aligning with the Democratic Party’s centrist foreign policy. Harris, whose mother was from Tamil Nadu, India, embraces her Indian roots publicly and politically, while also maintaining a staunch pro-Israel stance—especially during recent escalations in Gaza. Together, the Harris-Emhoff couple reflects the liberal establishment’s cross-cultural and geopolitical alliances, mirroring in some ways the Vances’ conservative counterpart.

Both couples, while on opposing ends of the American political spectrum, are bound by elite status, cultural hybridity, and a common alignment with pro-Israel policy frameworks—signifying a broader pattern of political and ideological convergence among influential Indian American figures and their partners.

The Danger of Unquestioned Alignments

This web of complicity—between Indian state-backed nationalism, segments of the diaspora, and global right-wing movements—poses a clear threat to democracy, secularism, and social equity. When caste discrimination is minimized, and alliances with apartheid regimes or ethno-supremacist ideologies are celebrated, we are forced to confront a difficult question: Who benefits when communities of color align with global systems of oppression?