Now Reading: India tells US: FCRA is our internal matter
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India tells US: FCRA is our internal matter
India has told foreign critics that the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, is an internal legislative matter. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that several countries,…
The Story in Brief
India has told foreign critics that the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, is an internal legislative matter. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that several countries, including the United States, regulate foreign funds. The response came after US Congressman Riley Moore called the Bill “a clear attack against Christians” and warned it could hurt bilateral ties.
The Bill, expected to be taken up in Parliament next week, would create a Designated Authority to oversee foreign contributions when an organisation’s FCRA registration is cancelled or lapses. If the assets include a place of worship, the Authority must maintain its religious character. Home Minister Amit Shah has held meetings with church representatives to allay concerns. Opposition parties have termed the Bill unconstitutional and draconian.
The Indian Opinion
The government should explain why a US Congressman gets to frame the FCRA debate as an attack on Christians, while Home Minister Amit Shah is privately meeting church leaders. If the Bill merely aligns Indian law with how the US regulates foreign funds, as the MEA argued, then the specific provision allowing a Designated Authority to take over places of worship needs clearer justification. Watch whether the Bill passes this session and how many churches are actually taken over in the first year.
Sources (4): thehindu.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, livemint.com, economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources.
