New Delhi, June 27 -- After a day-long diplomatic engagement with Indian leaders and displaying bonhomie between the US and India, the visiting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday made remarks that could trigger a row as he sought to remind Indian leaders that whenever the rights of religious minorities are "compromised", the world is "worse off".

"For whenever we do compromise those rights, the world is worse off," he said.

It may be mentioned that the comment from the US Secretary of State comes close on the heels of a US State Department report on the matter that was critical of Indian government.

India has denied claims made in a U.S. religious freedom report that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has failed to cont...