External pressure could force Modi rethink on key act

Subject

External criticism of India's Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Significance

At a public meeting last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there would be no backtracking on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which parliament passed in December. The Modi government has come under immense pressure domestically and externally over the legislation, which fast-tracks citizenship claims by non-Muslim illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Impacts

• The Supreme Court will delay ruling on petitions against the CAA for some months yet; it seldom expedites scrutiny of controversial matters.
• A perception of reputational risk linked to the CAA could dissuade some prospective foreign investors from committing capital to India.
• Weaker Delhi-Dhaka ties would undermine the bilateral cooperation needed to sustain India’s development policies in the north-east.