Washington, Aug 13 - Citing a 'disturbing increase' in communal violence against religious minorities, particularly Christians in Orissa in 2008 and Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, a US body has placed India on its 'watch list' on religious freedom.

India earned the 'watch list' designation due to the 'largely inadequate response' from the Indian government to protect the rights of religious minorities, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in a statement.

'It is extremely disappointing that India, which has a multitude of religious communities, has done so little to protect and bring justice to its religious minorities under siege,' said Leonard Leo, USCIRF chair.

The bipartisan federal government commission's India chapter 'was released this week to mark the first anniversary of the start of the anti-Christian violence in Orissa'.

Other countries currently on the commission's 'watch list' are Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, the Russian Federation, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela.

USCIRF said the murder of Swami Laxmananand Saraswati by Maoist rebels in Kandhamal in Orissa Aug 23 last year sparked a prolonged and destructive campaign targeting Christians, resulting in attacks against churches and individuals.

These attacks largely were carried out by individuals associated with 'Hindu nationalist groups', and resulted in at least 40 deaths and the destruction of hundreds of homes and dozens of churches, it said.