Saffron Ties: India's Global Nationalist Network

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party have governed since 2014 under an ideology rooted in Hindutva, the belief that India is fundamentally a Hindu nation. Since returning to power, his government has overseen a surge in religious nationalism, including the construction of a Ram temple on the site of a demolished mosque in Ayodhya, the revocation of Muslim-majority Kashmir's special status, and a citizenship law critics say discriminates against Muslims. Human rights organizations have documented a rise in attacks on minorities and the targeting of journalists, academics and activists who challenge the ruling party.

Across the United States, a web of Hindu nationalist organizations has quietly taken root, from Texas to New Jersey, California to Virginia. These groups, many with documented ties to India's Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have built a powerful presence in American civic and political life over the past several decades.

But the network does not stop at American borders. A review of more than 2,600 organizations worldwide reveals a transnational structure spanning nearly 40 countries.

Within the United States, the organizations are spread across at least 17 states. Texas has more than any other state, followed by California, New Jersey and New York. Together they form part of what researchers call the Sangh Parivar, a transnational network operating through charities, cultural organizations, political action committees and lobbying efforts.

Their strategy in the United States, according to a report submitted to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, has centered on gaining influence within Indian American communities while lobbying Washington, financing political campaigns and projecting themselves as advocates of religious freedom.