Government preparing FCRA groundwork: Amit Shah assures Foreign Contribution Bill will not apply retrospectively

New Delhi: The Centre has stepped up efforts to assuage the concerns of political and other stakeholders before taking up the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, for consideration and passage in Parliament next week, with Union home minister Amit Shah assuring political leaders and Christian organisations that the proposed law would not be implemented retrospectively.

Shah held a series of meetings in Parliament on Thursday with senior officials to review the proposed legislation before engaging with key political and community representatives.

Read more: FCRA 2026: Three regulatory changes reshaping foreign funding in India


He later met Mizoram CM Lalduhoma and DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson, who have been coordinating with several Christian organisations over the proposed amendments. Emerging from the meeting, Lalduhoma termed the discussions "positive" and said Shah had assured him that the legislation would not be implemented retrospectively. Lalduhoma said he has been told that the bill may be taken up for discussion on August 12.

Lalduhoma also submitted a detailed note highlighting the concerns of churches and voluntary organisations in the state and seeking safeguards to ensure that genuine charitable and religious institutions are not adversely affected.

Read more: Tighter regime proposed: FCRA Bill seeks custodian for NGO assets

Members of the Joint Action Committee for Minorities, an umbrella body representing churches and minority organisations, also met Shah and conveyed their apprehensions over the bill. Wilson was part of the delegation which urged the government to either withdraw the legislation or refer it to a JPC for wider consultations before it is taken up for passage.

As per sources, Shah sought to reassure the delegation that the amendments were aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the utilisation of foreign contributions rather than targeting any particular community.

In the last few months, in deliberations with Christian bodies, Shah informed them that of the nearly ₹17,000 crore received as foreign contributions last year, less than around ₹3,000 crore was meant for Christian bodies.

The bill introduced in the Lok Sabha earlier this year proposes creating a designated authority to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets of organisations whose FCRA registrations are cancelled, surrendered or cease to exist.

The authority would then be empowered to manage, transfer or dispose of the assets for public purposes while preserving the religious character of the places of worship.

It also provides for automatic cessation of registration in specified cases, requires approval of the Centre before investigations under the Act are initiated and rationalises penalties.