The Indian government reintroduced the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, on July 20, the opening day of the India Parliament’s annual monsoon session. The bill has raised concerns among religious organizations about its potential impact on freedom of religion or belief, or FoRB, if it becomes law.
The bill proposes amendments to India’s Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, stipulating that if an organization’s FCRA registration expires, is cancelled, surrendered, or is not renewed, a government-appointed designated authority would take control of assets that have been acquired using foreign funding.
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If the registration is not restored, those assets could be transferred to government departments or sold to the state. Although the bill states places of worship must retain their religious character, they would still fall within this framework.
The bill also prohibits the use of foreign contributions for ‘proselytization’ — a term left undefined that grants broad discretionary powers to local authorities.
Potential impact on FoRB-related work
Religious organizations and civil society claim the proposed legislation could have serious implications for freedom of religious belief and FoRB-related work in India. Many religious organizations across India use foreign contributions to support schools, hospitals, hostels, disaster relief and other community services.
Under the proposed amendments, organizations that lose their FCRA registration could also lose control of assets developed over many years. This has led to increasing uncertainty for institutions serving vulnerable communities.
On July 17, before the monsoon session started, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India held a national day of prayer to call for united prayer and efforts amid concerns over the bill.
On July 23, the opposition Congress Committee in Mizoram Pradesh State, where there is a Christian majority, held demonstrations and submitted memorandums, claiming the bill targets welfare infrastructure in the region.
On July 24, church leaders met with Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma to discuss the potential impact of the bill on churches and Christian institutions. Following the meeting, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said the state government would convey these concerns to the central government.
Escalation in pressure
CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: “The proposed amendment to the FCRA is a deeply alarming escalation in the ongoing pressure on civil society and faith-based organizations in India that could even pave the way for the government to seize control of schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
“Such administrative measures are deeply unjust and a severe violation of the right to freedom of religion or belief. We urge parliamentarians to heed the widespread concerns raised by civil society and religious leaders, and to reject legislation that would heavily penalize those working to serve the common good.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
