India Tightens NGO Funding Rules and Defends FATF Amid Global Scrutiny

On June 22, 2026 the Indian government issued two notifications under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act that prohibit non‑governmental organisations from using foreign contributions for proselytising. The new rules allow foreign funds only for narrowly defined faith‑based activities such as theological studies or preservation of indigenous faiths, require NGOs to disclose social‑media accounts, publications and all foreign donors, and mandate registration of any new area of operation with a fee.

At a United Nations Counter‑Terrorism Week side event, India’s Permanent Representative P. Harish defended the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) against attacks he said were driven by “fear of scrutiny rather than genuine process‑related concerns”. He highlighted India’s compliance measures, including bringing virtual‑asset service providers into the anti‑money‑laundering framework and tightening verification for centralized exchanges, and urged states to stop allowing their financial channels to be misused for terrorism.