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UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has highlighted India’s robust civil society and democratic resilience in his global update, underscoring its role in defending fundamental rights and minority protections. His statement, reflecting observations from his India visit, praised India’s civic space as a key pillar of its democracy. At the same time, Türk criticised Pakistan for imprisoning human rights lawyers and defenders for expressing views and urged China to halt the suppression of minorities under vague national security laws. The contrasting messaging puts India in a positive light internationally while exerting pressure on neighbouring states with concerning human rights records. This nuanced stance from the UN’s top rights official underscores the importance of civil liberties and the rule of law amid ongoing global and regional challenges.