Curbs on foreign funding not uniquely Indian, says govt ahead of bill to tweak FCRA
The Indian government is defending upcoming amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by citing similar foreign funding regulations in Western democracies. Officials argue the bill is necessary to protect democratic institutions from unregulated foreign influence.
Why it matters
The bill is a point of contention regarding the regulation of NGOs and civil society, reflecting a global trend of tightening oversight on foreign-funded political activity.
NEW DELHI: Ahead of Parliament taking up the Foreign Contribution Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, govt cited comparable laws regulating foreign funding, influence and lobbying in the US, UK, Australia and Canada to underline the "globally recognised" concern that "foreign money, when unregulated, can affect democratic institutions, electoral processes and public discourse".In a backgrounder on FCRA issued Wednesday, MHA said regulating foreign contributions and influence was "not a uniquely Indian approach", with leading democracies strengthening such frameworks over the past decade.The ministry cited the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), requiring registration and disclosure for those acting on behalf of a "foreign principal" in political activity or lobbying, and the UK's 2025 Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which provides for up to two years' jail for political influence arrangements with a foreign power.
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