In India, the social reaction to people living with HIV/AIDS has been overwhelmingly negative. The lack of awareness of the disease and societal inhibitions have led to it being perceived to be a disease of 'others', rampant amongst people living on the margins of society whose lifestyles are considered to be 'perverted' and 'sinful'.

• HIV/AIDS is an incurable disease
• Association of the disease with presumed deviant behavior (such as sex between men, visiting sex workers and injecting drug-use)
• Religious or moral beliefs, more so in India, that lead some people to believe that having HIV/AIDS is the result of moral fault (such as promiscuity or 'deviant sex') that deserves to be punished

Discrimination, stigmatization and denial are the outcome of a lack of awareness affecting life in families, communities, workplaces, schools and health care settings. HIV/AIDS related discrimination contributes to a large extent in ensuring the lack of appropriate policies and models of good practice. People living with HIV/AIDS continue to be burdened by poor care and inadequate services, whilst those with the power to help do little to make the situation better.

The health care sector has been contradictorily the most obvious context for HIV/AIDS related discrimination, stigma and denial. Negative attitudes from health care staff have generated anxiety and fear among many people living with HIV/AIDS. As a result, many keep their status secret, fearing still worse treatment from others. It is not surprising that among a majority of HIV positive people, AIDS-related fear and anxiety, and at times denial of their HIV status, can be traced to traumatic experiences in health care settings. There have been umpteen cases in India of HIV positive patients in India having to bear with a sign placed on their beds at hospitals announcing their HIV status.

Children of HIV positive parents too are forced to face discrimination irrespective of their HIV status. They are quite often denied the right to go to school or are kept in isolation from other children. Women too are blamed by their in-laws for being carriers of the disease and affecting their husbands irrespective of what the truth may be. People in marginalized groups (female sex workers, hijras [transgendered], gays and lesbians) are often stigmatized on the grounds of not only their HIV status but also for being members of socially excluded groups. The law of the land also looks down on them thus adding to their woes.

Stigma is also affecting prevention efforts, with the harassment of AIDS outreach workers and peer educators being reported. Although the Indian government encourages NGOs to provide condoms and AIDS education to high-risk groups such as sex workers and men who have sex with men, it seemingly allows law enforcement agencies to harass outreach workers who provide those services.