'India's internal matter': MEA hits back at US Congressman over FCRA Amendment Bill

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday (August 7) dismissed criticism by US Congressman Riley Moore over the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, asserting that legislative matters are India's internal affairs. The ministry also pointed out that many countries, including the United States, have their own legal frameworks regulating foreign funding. The response comes after Riley Moore, a Republican Congressman from West Virginia, claimed that the proposed amendments represented a ‘clear attack against Christians’ and warned that the legislation could negatively impact India-US relations.

Responding to media queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India's democratic institutions have an established legislative process and stressed that domestic laws should be viewed in their proper context. He further noted that countries around the world, including the United States, regulate foreign contributions to organisations through their own legal systems.

Moore, in a statement released on August 4, alleged that the proposed amendments could allow the Indian government to assume control of churches and religious charities if their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration is cancelled or not renewed. He argued that such provisions would disproportionately impact Christian organisations and urged the Indian government to reconsider the proposed legislation.

What the FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 proposes

The proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to amend the existing Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, which regulates the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions by individuals, associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in India. The FCRA aims to ensure that foreign funding does not adversely affect India's sovereignty, integrity, national security, public interest or democratic institutions.

Under the proposed amendments, if an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or not renewed, a government-designated authority would temporarily manage its foreign contributions and related assets. The Bill also specifies that in the case of places of worship and religious institutions, the designated authority must preserve their religious character while administering such assets. According to the Centre, the proposed amendments are intended to improve transparency, accountability and the administration of foreign-funded organisations, particularly when they are no longer eligible to receive overseas donations.

The government has also maintained that the changes are designed to protect public assets created through foreign contributions while ensuring that ongoing charitable activities continue in accordance with the law. However, the proposed legislation has triggered political as well as international debate, with critics raising concerns about the extent of government oversight. The MEA's response marks India's first official reaction to Moore's remarks, reiterating that legislative decisions are matters of domestic policy and should be assessed within India's constitutional and legal framework.

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‘Govt had no role to play in Hasina's media event'

The Ministry of External Affairs also clarified that the Government of India had no role in the media interaction featuring former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 and does not endorse the remarks made during the event. Addressing the issue, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The government had no role to play in what was an event by a private media entity, and it does not endorse anything said at the forum, especially with regard to the duly constituted government of Bangladesh.” Jaiswal's remarks came in response to questions regarding Sheikh Hasina's interaction with the media held on August 5.

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On Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s Sri Lanka visit, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal , “As part of the visit, he had interactions at the highest level. He called on the President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. He also had meetings with the Foreign Minister and his counterpart, the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka, where they discussed a wide range of issues. They also discussed development cooperation, all the programmes that are currently being run there, and some of the new programmes that were started in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah.”

"The fishermen issue also came up for discussion. Once again, we urge that this particular matter be given a humanitarian approach because the livelihood of fishermen is involved. We have pressed that the issues we have raised for the welfare of our fishermen should be given due consideration, keeping in mind their livelihood concerns and humanitarian considerations..."

On Somalia and Pakistan signing a defence cooperation pact, Randhir Jaiswal said, “We continue to closely follow the developments between Somalia and the other country that you mentioned. That is what I have to say.” On Africa Day, he said, “Yes, this was a big celebration. Each year, we celebrate our solidarity, support, and partnership with Africa with great enthusiasm. This time, the External Affairs Minister attended the Africa Day celebrations.” On Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signing a joint trilateral defence agreement, he said, "This is also a development that we are closely following, and we shall keep you updated."