Catholic Bishops Welcome JPC Review of India’s Foreign Funding Law Amendment Bill

The bill was expected to be introduced during the ongoing monsoon session before Parliament adjourns on Aug. 13. However, amid mounting opposition, Nityanand Rai, the federal minister of state for Home Affairs, moved a resolution on Aug. 12 seeking to refer the bill to a JPC. The resolution was passed in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, on the same day.

Opposition lawmakers demanded that the bill be scrapped altogether, arguing that it could severely restrict the charitable work of civil society groups, especially those run by churches and faith-based organizations.

The resolution, passed amid a din, stated that the JPC will have 31 sitting parliamentarians as members, including 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament. The JPC will report its findings to the house by the first week of the forthcoming winter session of Parliament later this year.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) welcomed the referral as a democratic step that “reflects the government’s commitment to a broader legislative consultation process.”

In a statement issued on Aug. 12, the CBCI said it “looks forward to engaging with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Joint Parliamentary Committee in the spirit of dialogue and cooperation.”

The CBCI expressed hope that the consultations would help evolve a balanced statutory framework that safeguards national security while enabling civil society organizations to continue their service to the nation.

“As a long-standing partner in serving the people of India through education, healthcare, social development and various charitable initiatives, the CBCI remains committed to contributing positively to the nation’s development,” the statement added.

The amendment bill, intended to strengthen oversight of foreign-funded charitable activities and improve transparency and accountability, was approved by the federal Cabinet on March 18.

The bill was scheduled to be introduced during Parliament’s budget session earlier this year but was deferred following strong opposition from civil society groups, including Christian organizations that rely heavily on foreign donations for their social service programs and humanitarian projects.

One of the proposed changes would allow the government to take control of assets created with foreign contributions if an organization’s FCRA registration is suspended, canceled, surrendered, or not renewed.

Another provision introduces the concept of “deemed cessation,” under which an organization’s registration would automatically lapse upon expiry or refusal of renewal.

The bill also sets new timelines for receiving and using foreign contributions, which the government says are intended to enhance transparency, accountability, and legal certainty.

Christian leaders said the proposed changes come against the backdrop of a decade-long crackdown on organizations receiving foreign funds.

Christian leaders, including Catholic bishops, made several appeals to the federal government to withdraw the bill or hear all stakeholders before rushing it through Parliament.

A 17-member ecumenical delegation representing major Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, met with Federal Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah inside the Parliament building on Aug. 6 to air its concerns.

The All India Christian Council welcomed the JPC and thanked the lawmakers “who pressed for it.”

“Our position, and the position of the Opposition and of a wide coalition of civil society, remains that this bill should be withdrawn,” the council said in a statement.

“We will nonetheless come before the committee, we will place our case in writing and in person, and we will do so in good faith,” it added.

The council, however, noted that “the heart of this bill is not regulation. It is vesting.”

It urged the JPC to invite opinions and suggestions from the public, institutions and state governments, giving them sufficient time to do so.

“A referral that becomes a formality would be worse than no referral at all,” the statement added.

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), representing 19 million Christians, said it looks forward to engaging with the JPC as it prepares the report for the winter session.

“We thank the members of the civil society for their support and encouragement, and for the recognition of the selfless service of the Christian community and church-run institutions,” its general secretary, Reverend Asir Ebenezer, said.

Christians make up 2.3 percent of India’s more than 1.4 billion people, while the majority, 80 percent, are Hindus.

The referral of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, to a 31-member JPC now places the proposed changes under detailed parliamentary examination, with the committee expected to submit its findings by the first week of the forthcoming winter session.