India - June 2026

On 22 June, the Ministry of Home Affairs amended rules under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, tightening controls of the receipt and use of foreign-sourced funds. The FCRA Rules, introduced in 2011, have been amended 10 times since. The new rules limit foreign-funded work to a prescribed list of activities under five categories: religious, cultural, economic, educational and social. They exclude, among other things, proselytization, contemporary arts with political or ideological content, and awareness work on constitutional rights or civic participation unless strictly non-political. Organizations must also provide detailed disclosures on their leadership, publications, social-media activity and donors. Existing organizations have one year to comply or risk losing access to foreign funding. Rights experts and  opposition leaders called for the rules’ withdrawal, warning that the rules could restrict  NGOs’ independence and human rights work. The government says the rules protect national interests and improve transparency. 

Sources: The International Commission of Jurists, The Hindu, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law