India Rejects UN Report on Indigenous Peoples Rights

The Government of India rejected an August 2025 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly Third Committee. India characterized the report's findings as an unsubstantiated reference and countered claims that the recognition of scheduled tribes is more administrative than rights-based.

Anuj Swarup, First Secretary of India, defended the state's record by citing constitutional safeguards and official land-title claim data provided under the Forest Rights Act. The Indian delegation further asserted that the country's entire population at the time of independence, and their successors, are considered indigenous.

Beyond the dispute over indigenous rights, India reaffirmed its commitment to the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat campaign to end child marriage by 2030. The government urged UN human rights mechanisms to respect cultural and historical contexts and avoid the politicization of such reports.