"Internal matter": MEA dismisses US lawmaker's criticism of FCRA Bill
New Delhi, August 7
The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday dismissed criticism surrounding India's foreign funding regulations, asserting that legislative affairs remain an internal prerogative governed by Parliament.
Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal pointed out that various international jurisdictions, including the United States, enforce regulations on foreign monetary inflows.
"Regarding the issue you are referring to, we have seen it, and several comments have been made on it. As far as legislative matters are concerned, and particularly matters relating to India's own legislation, this is an internal matter for us, on which our Parliament takes the decision," Jaiswal said.
"I would also like to tell you that there are several countries in the world, including the United States, that regulate foreign funds and foreign financing," he added.
The response comes following remarks from US lawmaker Riley Moore, who raised objections to proposed modifications to India's Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), claiming the provisions could enable state control over churches and philanthropic institutions, while cautioning that the development might strain bilateral ties.
Expressing his concerns on social media platform X, the Republican Congressman from West Virginia acknowledged that Christianity holds deep historic roots in India, tracing back to the arrival of St Thomas the Apostle on the Malabar Coast.
"But despite this long Christian history, India's Parliament is considering amending the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities," Moore wrote.
"This is a clear attack against Christians. If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India," he added.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, seeks to establish a Designated Authority tasked with overseeing foreign contributions and assets acquired through such capital in instances where an entity's FCRA registration stands cancelled, surrendered or lapsed.
The proposed legislation explicitly mandates that if such assets comprise a place of worship, the Designated Authority is required to maintain its religious character intact. Furthermore, it seeks to scale down the maximum penalty for statutory violations from five years' imprisonment to one year.
The FCRA framework governs the intake and utilisation of overseas funding across non-governmental organisations, charitable entities, academic institutions, religious trusts and affiliated bodies. Ministry of Home Affairs figures indicate that 13,520 entities received foreign remittances totalling Rs 55,741 crore between 2019 and 2022.
Official records as of July 15, 2026, reveal that 14,449 active FCRA registrations were operational in the country, whereas 22,498 registrations stood cancelled and 15,212 had expired.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an American who follows India closely, I think this lawmaker is overstepping. India's Parliament has every right to amend its own laws. The FCRA has been around for decades and this amendment actually reduces penalties and protects religious character of worship places. Seems like a non-issue blown out of proportion.
The irony is rich. US lawmakers criticising India's foreign funding rules while the US has some of the most stringent lobbying and foreign influence laws in the world. 😅 We need transparency in foreign funding, simple as that. If NGOs are doing legitimate work, they have nothing to fear.
While I support the government's right to legislate, I do have some concerns. The clause about the Designated Authority taking over assets when registration lapses needs careful scrutiny. There should be clear timelines and judicial oversight to prevent any misuse. But overall, foreign funding needs regulation - we've seen too many cases of money being used to destabilise the country.
I've lived in India for 3 years now and I've seen how much good foreign NGOs do here - from education to healthcare. But I also understand India's concerns about sovereignty. The US should focus on its own issues rather than telling India what to do. The amendment even says places of worship will maintain their religious character - that shows respect for all religions.
The Congressman needs to understand Indian history better. Christianity has flourished in India for 2000 years and will continue to do so. This amendment isn't targeting any religion - it's about accountability. 22,498 registrations cancelled and 15,212 expired - that's a lot of unaccounted money. We need to know where foreign funds go. Period.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.