FCRA Amendment Bill 2026: Govt Pushes Tighter Control On NGOs, Opposition Calls It ‘Draconian’

The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill, 2026 is tabled in the Lok Sabha on March 25. Many opposition MPs attacked the government while criticising the bill.

The Bill proposed changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act- 2010, which governs how Non-Government Organisations, public trusts in India receive and use foreign funds. The 2026 bill aims to tighten government control over foreign funding. 

Few important provisions in the recent bill includes, allowing the government to take control of assets of NGOs whose FCRA licences are cancelled, setting strict timelines for receiving and using foreign funds, creating a stronger regulatory mechanism to monitor and manage foreign contributions, targeting misuse of funds, including allegations like forced religious conversions or personal gain. 

Opposition MPS including Dimple Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Hibi Eden from the congress critised the bill calling it as “draconian law and legalising bulldozer justice.” The MPs expressed fear that the bill will jeopardize organisations that are working for minority rights. However Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju maintained that, “The amendment is aimed at regulating foreign contributions, ensuring proper utilisation in the national interest and national security and preventing misuse of funds.” 

Although the FCRA Amendment Bill- 2026 was proposed in March, the union government’s actions against various NGOs, Think-Tanks across the country - resulting in the cancellation of FCRA license, were criticised widely. NGOs have repeatedly expressed a concern of not being able to criticise government policies fearing their FCRA license be revoked.