Secular State

 Secular State

There are 193 recognised UN member countries and 2 observer states. In addition, around 6–10 territories or entities are seeking wider international recognition. Thus, broadly speaking, about 200–205 countries and territories are inhabited by more than 8 billion people.

Of these, approximately 2.5 billion are Christians, 2 billion Muslims, 1.2 billion Hindus, 0.5 billion Buddhists, 16 million Jews, while the remaining 1.8 billion follow smaller religions, traditional faiths, indigenous beliefs, or have no formal religion.

Of around 205 countries, approximately 157 have Christian-majority populations, 47 Muslim-majority, 3 Hindu-majority, and 7 Buddhist-majority populations. These figures may overlap or vary depending on the source and definition of “majority.”

Around 96 countries are officially secular, while about 99 countries are not formally secular. Among the latter, around 43 have an official state religion—approximately 27 Muslim, 13 Christian, 2 Buddhist, and 1 Jewish. Some other countries may officially recognise a religion or favour it in practice without formally declaring it the state religion.

There are also countries where governments give significant financial, legal, or political privileges to one particular religion, while minority faiths may receive less favourable treatment. On the other hand, some countries are restrictive or hostile towards organised religion, exercising tight control over religious institutions.

Interestingly, Uzbekistan, the ancestral homeland of Babur, is officially a secular state but maintains strict state control over religious activities. Mosques and clergy are regulated, and independent religious education is restricted, largely in the name of preventing religious extremism and political radicalisation.

India

Coming to India, one may argue that 21st-century India could be moving towards a model that favours religious and cultural heritage, as governments increasingly spend public money on pilgrimage infrastructure, religious tourism, and facilities around important places of worship.

However, when it comes to the legal framework, the Constitution of India is the supreme framework of governance, and criminal laws are generally common to all citizens. At the same time, civil matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and family affairs have historically been governed partly by religion-specific personal laws—for example, the Hindu Marriage Act for Hindus and different personal laws for other communities.

There are hundreds of millions of Hindus across the world. How many Hindu households actually keep the Manu Smriti at home? Very few. How many have actually read it? Again, very few. Yet some ideas and customs associated with it may have been inherited indirectly through parents, family, community, and society.

This raises an important distinction: a religion is not merely its scriptures; it is also the customs, traditions, social practices, and laws that evolve around it over centuries.

The real question for a secular state, therefore, is whether the state provides equal citizenship and equal protection of law to all, while allowing every individual the freedom to follow, practise, or not follow any religion.

21 July 2026