The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday (August 7, 2026) dismissed criticism surrounding India’s foreign funding regulations, asserting that legislative affairs remain an internal prerogative governed by Parliament.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said these matters are our affairs on which decisions are taken by the Parliament of the country.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Jaiswal said, “I would also like to point out that there are several nations, including the United States, which regulate the flow of foreign funds.”

He was responding to comments by a U.S. lawmaker on the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill.

The response comes following remarks from U.S. 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,” Mr. 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.

(With inputs from ANI)

Published - August 07, 2026 06:02 pm IST