US lawmaker says proposed FCRA amendments ‘attack against Christians’, could strain India‑US ties

US Congressman Riley Moore, a Republican from West Virginia, took to social media on Wednesday to slam the proposed amendments India is looking to make in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill 2026, calling it a “clear attack against Christians.”

In his post on X, Moore said, "Christians have been in India since St. Thomas the Apostle traveled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Riley claimed this is an attack on Christians, and if it proceeds in this manner, it can be a major point of concern when it comes to the bilateral relationship of the US with India.

He wrote, “But despite this long Christian history, India’s Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities.”

“This is a clear attack against Christians. If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India,” Moore said.

What is Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026?

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, has proposed to empower the central government to create a 'Designated Authority' that will take over how foreign contributions and assets created with foreign contributions are managed once an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered, or is not renewed on time.

The bill also states that if these assets are places of worship, the Designated Authority must ensure that their religious character is maintained.

The bill also proposes reducing the maximum penalty for violating this Act to one year from the previous five years.

ANI cited the Ministry of Home Affairs to reveal that 13,520 organisations received ₹55,741 crore of foreign contribution between 2019 and 2022. As per the FCRA portal, as of 15 July, there are around 14,449 FCRA certificates still active, 22,498 cancelled and 15,212 deemed expired.

BJP ally MNF opposes FCRA Amendment Bill

The Mizo National Front (MNF), the main opposition party in the state of Mizoram, has opposed the proposed amendments to the FCRA and urged MPs across the country to vote against them in Parliament, PTI reported.

The MNF is an ally of the BJP-led NDA.

There are concerns in the Christian-majority state that the FCRA Amendment Bill, in its current form, is detrimental to minority institutions, especially Christians and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

MNF vice president Lalchhandama Ralte said that his party considers the proposed amendments a serious threat to churches, NGOs, educational institutions, and charitable organisations that depend on foreign contributions, reported PTI.

"The MNF is firmly opposed to the FCRA Amendment Bill. We expect the state's MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to strongly oppose it and not simply abstain during the voting," he told PTI.

(With agency inputs)