U.S. Rep. Riley Moore condemns India's FCRA amendment, warns of bilateral fallout

Republican U.S. Representative Riley M. Moore, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, publicly criticized India’s proposed Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill 2026. In a post on X, Moore called the bill “a direct attack on the Christian community” and warned that its passage could become a point of concern in U.S.–India relations. The amendment would allow the government to create a “designated authority” to manage foreign contributions and assets of NGOs whose FCRA registration is cancelled, expired, or not renewed, and it reduces the maximum penalty for violations from five years’ imprisonment to one year. Moore cited the two‑thousand‑year history of Christianity in India, referencing the arrival of St. Thomas the Apostle, to underscore his concerns. The Indian government plans to introduce the bill in the Lok Sabha during the monsoon session. Official data show that between 2019 and 2022, 13,520 organisations received a total of ₹55,741 crore in foreign funding; as of 15 July 2026, 14,449 registrations were active, 22,498 had been cancelled and 15,212 had lapsed.