Anti-Indian hate posts on X (formerly Twitter) have surged dramatically in the last month, according to an analysis of 128 posts conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based think tank, the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH).
The study found that hateful content spiked between December 22, 2024, and January 3, 2025, coinciding with two key events: Indian-American business leader Sriram Krishnan‘s appointment as White House Senior Policy Advisor for AI on December 22, and Vivek Ramaswamy’s post on December 26, in which he said, “Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long.”
Several posts on X challenged the platform’s policies against hateful conduct, the CSOH report said, yet these posts were allowed to remain online. Earlier, Democratic Congressman Shri Thanedar had spoken out about escalating Hinduphobic behaviour on X and supported his bipartisan bill aimed at addressing this issue.
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Interestingly, the CSOH report found that much of the anti-Indian rhetoric on X stemmed from resentment toward the H-1B visa system, which allows skilled immigrants—including many Indians—to live and work in the United States. Both Krishnan and Ramaswamy have been vocal supporters of the H-1B program.
CSOH report claims attacks on Indian immigrants, including Sikhs
However, far-right figures, such as Laura Loomer, publicly opposed Krishnan’s appointment. “Loomer opposed Sriram’s appointment as antithetical to the nativist principle of ‘America First,’ a MAGA talking point, on the grounds that he had called for removing green card caps and that he wanted to grant science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) jobs to immigrants that ‘rightfully’ belonged to Americans,” the report states.
Co-author Deeksha Udupa commented, “There is this greater narrative of the Great Replacement Theory, which claims that immigrants will come and take your job, and the only person ‘deserving’ of that job is a white American.”
“This is a moment when we are realizing that it doesn’t matter how you come here… you will not fit into Trump’s America.”
The CSOH report also notes that “These attacks are not exclusively aimed at Hindus, whether of Indian or American origin. Rather, they are directed at everyone perceived to be of Indian origin, which, as our analysis reveals, also includes members of the Sikh community.”
The study documented posts that depicted Indian immigrants as an “invasion,” spread negative stereotypes about their hygiene, and used slurs such as “curry” and “pajeet.” Some of these posts fell under the category of “restricted monetization,” meaning that their creators were able to generate revenue through engagement.
“Hate sells. At least for X, its business model has basically incentivized hate speech. Because it is not the quality or content that is privileged, it’s views, reach, visibility, and engagement,” Udupa said.