India rejects criticism from a US lawmaker regarding proposed amendments to India’s Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). In its response, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says the legislation is within Parliament’s prerogative, and India does not accept external commentary on domestic lawmaking. The MEA also notes that foreign funding is regulated in multiple countries, adding that the United States similarly controls and oversees foreign contributions through its own legal framework.
The MEA’s statement is presented as a broader response to concerns raised by the US legislator about how the proposed changes could affect the receipt and use of foreign funds in India. Rather than addressing the proposal’s substantive elements point-by-point in the reported accounts, India emphasizes jurisdiction over legislative processes and highlights the existence of comparable regulatory systems abroad. The Indian government’s position is that regulation of foreign funding is a common practice and that India’s approach is determined through its own constitutional and legislative processes.
