US Republican Lawmaker Criticises India's Proposed FCRA Bill, Warns of Impact on Bilateral Ties
US lawmaker calls the proposed FCRA amendments a "direct attack" on Christians, while India says the reforms will improve transparency and accountability in foreign funding.
New Delhi: India's proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) have drawn criticism from the United States, with Republican Congressman Riley Moore raising concerns over the legislation. Moore, a member of former US President Donald Trump's Republican Party, described the proposed changes as a "direct attack" on India's Christian community and warned that the issue could affect India-US bilateral relations.
In a post on X, Moore referred to the long history of Christianity in India, noting that the faith has existed in the country since the arrival of Saint Thomas the Apostle on the Malabar Coast. He argued that despite this history, the proposed amendments could allow the Indian government to exercise greater control over churches and religious charitable organisations.
"If this legislation moves forward in its current form, it will become a significant concern in our bilateral relationship with India," Moore said.
The remarks come as Parliament debates the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which proposes major changes to the existing FCRA framework governing foreign donations received by NGOs, charitable trusts, educational institutions and religious organisations.
According to the proposed bill, the Centre plans to establish a Designated Authority with powers to oversee foreign contributions and manage assets created using foreign funds in specific circumstances. The legislation also proposes stricter renewal norms for FCRA registrations, including a minimum utilisation threshold, tighter restrictions on transferring foreign funds between organisations, stricter timelines for fund utilisation, and enhanced disclosure requirements covering projects, websites and social media accounts.
Government data accompanying the bill states that as of July 15, 2026, India had 14,449 active FCRA registrations, while 22,498 registrations had been cancelled and 15,212 had expired. Between 2019 and 2022, organisations registered under the Act received ₹55,741 crore in foreign contributions.
The proposed amendments have triggered criticism from opposition parties, NGOs and civil society groups, who argue that the expanded powers of the Designated Authority could give the government excessive control over organisations dependent on foreign funding.
Churches and religious organisations have also expressed concerns that if their registrations are cancelled or allowed to lapse, assets such as schools, hospitals and welfare institutions built over decades using foreign contributions could come under government control. These concerns are particularly strong in states like Kerala and Mizoram, where many Christian institutions rely on foreign funding for educational and healthcare services.
The Union government, however, has defended the proposed amendments, stating that the objective is to strengthen oversight of foreign funding, improve transparency and ensure greater accountability in the use of overseas contributions.
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