The Baku Forum, officially titled
“Racism and Violence Against Sikhs and Other National Minorities in India: Current Realities,”
convened on January 16, 2026, in Azerbaijan under the auspices of the Baku Initiative Group, drawing officials, experts, academics, and diaspora leaders from Pakistan, Canada, the UK, US, and Europe. This groundbreaking event cast a harsh light on alleged state-backed violence, framing it as a persistent crisis rooted in historical traumas like the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, where between 8,000 and 17,000 Sikhs were killed following Indira Gandhi’s assassination, alongside thousands of extrajudicial executions and disappearances in Punjab from 1980-1990. Punjab’s Minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora, contextualized these events by declaring
“the rights of Sikhs and other minorities are systematically violated in India,”
extending the critique to recent harassment of Muslims, Christians—with over 700 cases of Christians banned from religious rites—and Dalits facing caste discrimination, as well as Kashmiris enduring mosque closures and militarized control.
Historical Roots of the Crisis
India’s Sikh population, exceeding 25 million primarily in Punjab, traces its faith to the 15th century, emphasizing equality in defiance of caste hierarchies, yet post-colonial partition in 1947 displaced over 14 million and killed more than one million, stripping Sikhs of fertile lands, historical sites like Lahore, and promises of recognition as a distinct nation. Constitutional provisions such as Article 25B, classifying Sikhs as Hindus, have fueled accusations of identity erasure, compounded by Bhai Moninder Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation, who described
“brutal violence against men, women, and children of the Sikh faith”
linked to state militarization. Forum discussions highlighted demands for recognizing 1984 as genocide, independent probes into disappearances, perpetrator accountability, release of long-term prisoners, Punjab autonomy expansion, halted transnational repression, United Nations interventions, official apologies, and victim compensation, positioning these as breaches of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and Convention Against Torture.
Patterns of Systemic Violence
Participants detailed a continuum of abuses, from mass killings and forced disappearances to communal violence by Hindutva groups targeting Muslims, Christians denied rites, Dalits under caste oppression, and youth aged 15-35 systematically eliminated through torture, as survivor accounts revealed. Jas Singh, head of the Sikh Network, asserted in this context that
“Sikhs will never bow to any oppressive regime… Although we are a numerical minority in India, we will not submit or kneel before any oppressive regime,”
underscoring resilience amid colonial legacies and broken post-independence pledges. Overseas attacks on activists, attributed to Indian intelligence by Canada and US findings, amplified transnational concerns, while the forum critiqued India’s non-compliance with United Nations covenants, advocating special rapporteur documentation, NGO monitoring, and academic research for sustained accountability. These patterns, from 1984 massacres to contemporary extrajudicial actions, portray a state strategy to suppress minority sovereignty aspirations, particularly Sikh calls for justice and self-determination.
Geopolitical Tensions and Counter-Narratives
Pakistan’s prominent role via Minister Arora advanced soft power narratives, aligning with regional allies like Azerbaijan to challenge India’s secular image, though New Delhi counters by highlighting Sikh persecution in Pakistan through Ministry of External Affairs diplomatic notes. Warring Prabhjot Singh, legal counsel for the Sikh Federation, warned that
“the issue of violence in India and the Sikh struggle is not merely an internal matter and will have consequences for the future of the region and the wider world,”
urging decolonization and international partnerships, with Baku as a pivotal platform. This exchange reveals mutual accusations of hypocrisy, as forum analyses linked Punjab operations to separatism crackdowns, while diaspora pressure from Canada, the UK, US, and Australia sustains global scrutiny, potentially influencing United Nations agendas on minority rights. India’s dismissal of such events as propaganda risks straining ties with hosts like Azerbaijan, yet the forum’s novelty signals shifting alliances in 2026 geopolitics.
Global Implications and Calls for Action
The Baku Forum transcends dialogue by proposing concrete mechanisms, including United Nations investigations, policy reforms, and collaborative frameworks to address structural injustices like identity dilution post-partition and ongoing repression. Ranveer Singh from Everything’s 13 emphasized
“India has become a place where innocent people are killed,”
tying colonial displacements of over two million Sikhs to modern targeting, advocating mutual respect for decolonized futures. For affected communities—over 25 million Sikhs amid broader minorities—this event tests international human rights efficacy, demanding vigilant oversight amid diaspora influence and risks of escalation.
Outcomes may spur resolutions, but enforcement relies on Western engagement, positioning minority plights as flashpoints for global stability. Analysis of the forum underscores its role in elevating suppressed voices, challenging imperialistic frames, and fostering accountability beyond rhetoric.
