3 weeks ago
India-Italy Analyst Backs FCRA Bill, Cites Western Precedents
India has a rule called the FCRA that controls how groups like charities can receive money from other countries.
The government wants to change this rule with a new bill.
Some people agree with the change and some do not.
An expert from Italy named Carlo Lombardi said the change is a good idea.
He said many Western countries, like the United States, have similar rules to check foreign money.
He reminded people that India has had this law since 1976, when Indira Gandhi was the leader.
He also said that some other countries' rules are even stricter than India's new bill.
The government sent the bill to a special committee of Parliament to study it.
Some people, including a Congress leader named KC Venugopal, think the bill unfairly targets minorities and aid groups.
A government minister named Kiren Rijiju said that is not true.
Carlo Lombardi, an analyst of India-Italy relations, defended India's FCRA Amendment Bill, comparing it to regulations in Western countries.
He noted the first FCRA was passed by Parliament in 1976 under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and overhauled in 2010 under Manmohan Singh.
Lombardi cited the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (1938), Australia's Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme, and the UK's Foreign Influence Registration Scheme as precedents.
He quoted NED co-founder Allen Weinstein: "Much of what the NED does today, the CIA did covertly 25 years earlier."
The government sent the bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee; Congress MP KC Venugopal demanded its withdrawal while Minister Kiren Rijiju denied it targets minorities.
- Who
- Carlo Lombardi, an India-Italy relations analyst; Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju; Congress MP KC Venugopal; Christian outfits and a US senator as critics.
- What
- Public debate over India's FCRA Amendment Bill, which the government sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for scrutiny.
- Where
- India's Parliament; Lombardi's comments were made in Verona, Italy.
- When
- August 2026; the bill was sent to the JPC on Tuesday.
- Why
- Supporters say the bill brings transparency to foreign funding and matches Western regulations; critics say it targets minorities and NGOs.
Critics of the Bill
Government and Supporters
Targeting minorities and NGOs
Critics of the Bill
Congress MP KC Venugopal said the legislation is 'clearly for targeting minorities and NGOs' and demanded the bill be withdrawn.
Government and Supporters
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju rejected the charge, saying the bill is not targeted at any minority community.
Parliamentary scrutiny
Critics of the Bill
Opponents argue the bill should not proceed and have called for its withdrawal rather than committee study.
Government and Supporters
Rijiju noted Congress and other Opposition parties themselves demanded the bill be sent to a House committee and can raise reservations in the JPC.
Fairness compared to Western laws
Critics of the Bill
A US senator said the bill was against Christians in India, and Christian outfits opposed the legislation.
Government and Supporters
Lombardi said the US Foreign Agents Registration Act carries a five-year sentence, which he called 'much harsher than the current Indian bill.'
Key facts
- Bill
- FCRA Amendment Bill 2026
- First FCRA passed
- 1976 under PM Indira Gandhi
- FCRA overhaul
- 2010 under PM Manmohan Singh
- US Foreign Agents Registration Act
- Passed in 1938; five-year sentence for violations
- NED established
- 1983, in the United States
- JPC report deadline
- Last day of first week of Winter Session of Parliament 2026
- Key supporters
- Carlo Lombardi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju
- Key critics
- Congress MP KC Venugopal, Christian outfits, a US senator
Quotes
Allen Weinstein
Co‑founder of the National Endowment for Democracy
“"Much of what the NED, National Endowment for Democracy, does today, the CIA did covertly 25 years earlier."”
businesstoday.in
Sources
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