India Delays Problematic FCRA Amendment Bill

India’s Parliament has temporarily delayed action on a proposed amendment to the country’s foreign-funding law that could significantly affect Christian ministries and other organizations receiving foreign contributions. 

India’s Lok Sabha referred the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) earlier this month. The referral means Parliament will not take further action on the legislation during the current summer session. The committee is expected to submit its report during the first week of Parliament’s winter session, likely in December. 

The development provides a reprieve for Christian organizations that have long relied on foreign donations to operate schools, hospitals, clinics, food ministries, media organizations, and other charitable programs. 

The bill, introduced by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in March, would expand the government’s authority over assets belonging to organizations whose Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration is canceled, surrendered, or not renewed. 

Under the proposed amendment, assets created through foreign contributions could be placed under the control of a government-appointed Designated Authority. If an organization does not regain its registration within a prescribed period, the authority could potentially retain or dispose of those assets. 

The legislation would also apply to assets created partly through foreign contributions, raising concerns among organizations — including those supported by International Christian Concern (ICC) — that have combined foreign and domestic donations to construct or maintain facilities. 

The proposed changes come amid years of increasing government scrutiny of foreign-funded organizations in India. Since 2010, thousands of organizations have lost their FCRA registrations or failed to renew them. For Christian organizations, losing registration can already severely restrict their ability to receive international funding. The proposed asset provisions would raise the consequences considerably. 

A Growing Target

Christian ministries have faced growing challenges in India in recent years, with churches, pastors, and Christian organizations targeted by authorities and Hindu nationalist groups over allegations that charitable activities are being used to induce religious conversion. 

Religious freedom advocates have disputed these allegations and warned that increasingly restrictive laws and regulations are being used to interfere with legitimate religious activity and humanitarian work. 

The FCRA amendment will now receive additional scrutiny from lawmakers serving on the JPC. The committee will include members from both houses of Parliament and is expected to examine the legislation before making recommendations to Parliament. 

The delay does not mean the bill has been withdrawn. Parliament could still consider the legislation after the committee submits its report, potentially as early as the winter session. 

For Christian organizations, the coming months therefore remain significant. The JPC could recommend withdrawing the bill or modifying provisions that raise concerns about government control of organizational property. At a minimum, religious freedom advocates are calling for the proposed asset-seizure provisions to be removed. 

The temporary halt provides an opportunity to examine whether the proposed changes are necessary and whether they could be used to place disproportionate pressure on religious and civil society organizations. 

As India’s Parliament prepares for its winter session, Christian ministries and other foreign-funded organizations will continue watching the JPC process closely. The delay offers time for further discussion, but concerns over the proposed FCRA changes remain unresolved. 

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