The Union Home Ministry has notified fresh rules under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), introducing new conditions for non-government organisations seeking foreign funding.
Under the amended rules, associations with foreign nationals as key functionaries will generally not be considered for registration or prior permission to receive foreign contributions. However, the Centre may permit such cases through specific orders.
The changes are separate from the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which was introduced in Parliament earlier this year, per a report by Hindustan Times.
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NGOs must disclose purpose and areas of work
The new rules require organisations to clearly state the purpose for which they seek registration and specify the states or Union Territories where they intend to carry out activities.
“Every application for registration shall mention the purpose or purposes for which registration is sought, chosen only from such list of purposes as specified in the Schedule appended to these rules; and the states or Union territories in which the association proposes to undertake the activities,” the notification said, per HT.
The permitted activities fall under categories such as religious, educational, social, cultural and economic purposes. Religious activities, including construction and maintenance of religious places, religious education and devotional music, have also been included.
The rules specify that religious education, documentation of faith traditions and preservation of indigenous beliefs may be undertaken while “excluding proselytisation”.
More disclosures and spending requirements
NGOs registered before 2026 have been given one year to update their registrations with specific purposes and operational areas.
The government has also introduced an additional fee of Rs 300 for every extra purpose or state added to an application.
Organisations receiving foreign contributions must now provide details of their social media accounts and disclose the original source of funds if donations come through intermediary channels or donor-advised funds.
Annual returns will now include a detailed activity report along with financial statements.
The rules also introduce a minimum spending requirement of Rs 10 lakh in foreign contributions over the previous two financial years.
Concerns raised by legal experts
Some legal experts have criticised the changes.
Senior advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir was quoted as saying by HT, “FCRA facilitates infusion of funds. Instead of introducing a mechanism for supervision of the Act, the government is inducing a crackdown. The new amendments have been brought in mainly to falsely target Christian and Muslim by accusing them of indulging in religious conversions despite absence of any evidence.”
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Per HT, Supreme Court lawyer Abishek Jebaraj called the changes “another example of half-baked, hasty rules”, saying they could create additional regulatory challenges for NGOs working across different states.
FAQs:
What do the new FCRA rules require from NGOs?
NGOs must disclose their activities, operational areas, social media accounts and funding details.
Can foreign nationals hold key positions in NGOs under the new rules?
The rules say such cases ordinarily will not be considered unless permitted by the Centre.
