The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday (August 7) rejected criticism from a US lawmaker over India’s proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment (FCRA) Bill, asserting that the legislation is an internal matter for Parliament and pointing out that the United States also regulates the flow of foreign funds.
The response came after US Congressman Riley Moore alleged that the proposed legislation targeted Christians and could adversely affect India-US relations.
US lawmaker’s allegations
In a post on X (Formerly Twitter), Moore claimed that the proposed FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, would allow the Union government to take over churches, Christian schools, hospitals and religious charities if enacted.
Also read: FCRA Amendment Bill 2026: Shashi Tharoor warns of threat to civil society
“Christians have been in India since St. Thomas the Apostle traveled 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 (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities (sic),” he wrote.
Moore further warned that the legislation, if passed, would become a major concern in bilateral relations between India and the United States.
India’s response
Responding to the criticism, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said legislative matters concerning India fall exclusively within the domain of the country’s Parliament.
“Legislative matters concerning India are our internal affairs on which decisions are taken by the Parliament of the country. I would also like to point out that there are several nations, including the United States, which regulate the flow of foreign funds,” he said.
What the Bill proposes
The Centre has maintained that the proposed legislation is religion-neutral and is aimed at enhancing transparency, strengthening compliance and preventing the misuse of foreign funds.
Introduced in Parliament in March 2026, the Bill seeks to tighten government oversight of how NGOs, charities and religious institutions utilise foreign funds.
Also read: Why NGOs operating on foreign funds are opposing new FCRA Amendment bill, rules
One of its most debated provisions empowers the Centre to appoint a Designated Authority to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets created from those funds if an organisation’s FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or allowed to lapse after non-renewal.
Opposition raises concerns
Major Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, have criticised the proposed law, describing it as “anti-minority” and expressing concerns over the extent of government control over organisations receiving foreign funding.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), 13,520 organisations received foreign contributions worth Rs 55,741 crore between 2019 and 2022.
The MHA’s FCRA portal shows that, as of July 15, 2026, 14,449 organisations held active FCRA registration certificates. The portal also records that 22,498 registrations have been cancelled, while another 15,212 have lapsed after expiry.