US lawmaker says India's FCRA amendment threatens Christians and ties

A proposed amendment to India's foreign funding law has drawn sharp criticism from a U.S. congressman, who warned it could affect bilateral relations and framed the legislation as an attack on religious minorities. The Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill, 2026, which is currently under debate in India's Parliament, has sparked intense controversy over provisions that would grant the government new powers to manage assets funded by foreign donations.

U.S. Congressman Riley Moore, a Republican from West Virginia, voiced his objections in a social media post on Tuesday, August 4. He described the proposed changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) as a clear attack against Christians, alleging they could permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities. Moore referenced the long history of Christianity in India, dating to the arrival of St. Thomas the Apostle, before stating that if the bill proceeds in its current form, it would be a point of major concern in the bilateral relationship between the United States and India.

The core of the controversy is a provision in the bill that would create a government-appointed Designated Authority....