New Delhi: Indian envoy to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Monday defended the International Contribution (Regulation) Modification Invoice (FCRA), 2026, looking for to debunk the “myths” surrounding the proposed laws. He stated that regulation of international funds in public and political spheres is a “sovereign step pushed by nationwide safety considerations”.
The remarks by the previous international secretary got here simply two days after US Vice President J.D. Vance known as Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Whereas there was no read-out from the American aspect, PM Modi posted on X that they mentioned methods to additional deepen India-US Complete International Strategic Partnership throughout key areas.
The PM additionally congratulated him and the Second Woman Usha Vance on the start of their new child son, and conveyed greatest needs to all the household.
Obtained a telephone name from US Vice President JD Vance. We mentioned methods to additional deepen India-US Complete International Strategic Partnership throughout key areas.
Warmly congratulated him and the Second Woman on the start of their son and conveyed greatest needs to all the household.…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 8, 2026
The final time Vance had known as Modi was throughout Operation Sindoor in 2025.
In a sequence of posts on X, Kwatra sought to deal with the “misunderstandings within the media and in civil society” concerning the proposed FCRA amendments.
There are various misunderstandings within the media and in civil society concerning the proposed International Contribution (Regulation) Modification Invoice(FCRA), 2026.
Right here is the Delusion vs. Actuality verify.— Amb Vinay Mohan Kwatra (@AmbVMKwatra) August 10, 2026
He wrote that the concept that India is framing a brand new regulation to chop off international assist to civil society is a fable.
“Reality: Regulation of international monetary flows in public and political areas is a sovereign step pushed by nationwide safety considerations. It’s an accepted characteristic of contemporary governance in lots of democracies world wide,” he posted.
The ambassador argued that the primary FCRA in India got here in 1976, and was changed in 2010 with a extra trendy framework, and strengthened by amendments in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
“The 2026 Invoice and Guidelines are the subsequent step in the identical course: extra transparency, higher governance, clearer guidelines. The very fact is that the regulation doesn’t forbid Indians from receiving international donations or shut down regulation abiding civil society. Tens of hundreds of associations are registered underneath FCRA and routinely obtain international funds for well being, schooling, catastrophe aid, analysis and humanitarian work,” he additional wrote.
He added that one other fable is that FCRA has adversely impacted the working of NGOs and charitable organisations, and that the brand new modification would additional prohibit their potential to function in India.
“In actuality, international cash inflows into India have been rising, not falling. International contributions to registered organisations grew from roughly $1.2 billion in 2010-11 to $2.67 billion in 2024-25. India has over 3 million NGOs. A naked fraction of those, solely 14,450, maintain FCRA registration. Thus, the overwhelming majority of the civil society organizations are fully outdoors the Act. FCRA doesn’t cease anybody from accepting international charity, analysis grants or humanitarian assist. It asks three issues — register, obtain the cash via laid down course of, report what you probably did with I,” he wrote in one other put up.
Concerning the priority that the proposed modification will result in seizure of belongings of NGOs, together with spiritual charities, locations of worship, hospitals, faculties, and charitable organisations that depend on international donations, Kwatra posted that when a registration is cancelled or surrendered, “international contributions and the belongings created from them already vest in a State Authorities authority”.
“This has been in power since 2010. It isn’t new,” he added.
“What the 2026 Invoice provides is a delegated authority to safeguard these belongings—and a means again. If the organisation restores its registration, all belongings and unused funds are returned in full. Locations of worship carry their very own safety. The place a cancelled affiliation has created property linked to a spot of worship, that property goes to a different FCRA-registered affiliation of the identical religion to make sure continuity of worship.”
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