New Delhi,  August 05, 2026

The proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 has become the latest flashpoint between the government and the Opposition, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressing strong objections ahead of its expected introduction in Parliament. The proposed changes, which would give the Centre greater authority over foreign-funded organisations and their assets, have sparked a wider debate over the future of charitable institutions and the role of civil society in India.

Calling it a "dangerous escalation in the centralisation of executive power", Tharoor said the proposed legislation "fundamentally rewrites the relationship between the Indian state and civil society." In his column published in The Indian Express, he accused the government of being "driven by its majoritarian ideology and allergy to independent voices." He further wrote, "The current government has increasingly reframed non-profit charities, think tanks and human rights groups not as development partners, but as sources of subversion and foreign manipulation. To neutralise these voices, the state has targeted their primary vulnerability: dependence on international philanthropy."

Under the proposed Bill, the government would be empowered to create a Designated Authority to manage foreign contributions and assets if an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or not renewed. The legislation also states that places of worship covered under such action must retain their religious character. Referring to earlier FCRA amendments, Tharoor said they had increased compliance requirements and reduced the flow of foreign funding. He also stated, "The Amendment introduces an unprecedented mechanism of control that bypasses traditional legal protections." Referring to Kerala, he said Christian-run charitable trusts, educational institutions and hospitals have served communities for decades and warned that the proposed provisions could affect their functioning.

Tharoor further argued that allowing the state to take control of assets following an administrative decision on an FCRA licence could create uncertainty for institutions providing healthcare, education and welfare services. Calling the proposed legislation anti-democratic, he urged Opposition parties to resist it in Parliament. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 13,520 organisations received ₹55,741 crore in foreign contributions between 2019 and 2022, while official FCRA data shows 14,449 active registrations, 22,498 cancelled certificates and 15,212 expired registrations as of July 15, 2026. The proposed amendments are expected to remain a key subject of parliamentary and public debate in the coming days.