A US Congressman has raised serious concerns regarding India's proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), warning that these changes could lead to government takeovers of religious charities and strain bilateral relations.
Key Points
- US Congressman Riley Moore voiced concern over India's proposed FCRA amendments, citing potential impacts on religious organisations.
- Moore stated the amendments could allow government takeovers of churches and religious charities, labelling it a "clear attack against Christians."
- He warned that the bill's progression could significantly impact US-India bilateral relations, raising a point of major concern.
- The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, seeks to empower the government to create a "Designated Authority" for managing foreign contributions and assets of organisations with cancelled FCRA registrations.
- The proposed legislation also mandates maintaining the religious character of places of worship if taken over and reduces the maximum penalty for violations from five years to one year.
A US lawmaker on Tuesday voiced concern over the amendments proposed by India to its laws governing foreign donations received by NGOs, trusts, educational institutions and religious organisations, and said the move could affect bilateral relations.
US Congressman Riley Moore said the amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) would permit the Indian government to takeover churches and religious charities and would amount to "clear attack against Christians".
US Congressman Highlights Concerns Over Religious Freedom
"Christians have been in India since St Thomas the Apostle travelled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. But despite this long Christian history, India's Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities," Moore, a Republican from West Virginia, said in a post on X.
"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," said Moore, a first term Congressman.
Details of India's Proposed FCRA Amendments
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to empower the government to create a "Designated Authority" to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets created using foreign contributions when an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or ceases because it is not renewed.
The bill also states that in case of assets that are a place of worship, the Authority must ensure that its religious character is maintained. The proposed legislation also reduces the maximum penalty for violation of the Act from imprisonment of five years to one year.
As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, 13,520 organisations received Rs 55,741 crore of foreign contribution between 2019 and 2022. The FCRA portal indicates that, as of July 15, 2026, there are 14,449 active FCRA certificates, 22,498 cancelled and 15,212 deemed as expired.
