India Pauses Bill That Would Let Government Seize Christian Nonprofit Assets
India's government halted consideration of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill in early April 2026 after church leaders and opposition lawmakers called it unconstitutional. The bill would have allowed the state to seize assets from nonprofits that lose their foreign funding license. Christian groups say the FCRA framework has already been used against more than 10,000 Christian organizations since 2011.
India's government paused consideration of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill in early April 2026, following intense pressure from church leaders, opposition parties, and civil society groups.
The bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2026, would have created a "Designated Authority" with power to take provisional control of assets and foreign contributions from any organization whose FCRA registration was canceled, surrendered, or allowed to lapse. If the organization failed to restore its registration within a set period, the government could permanently retain, transfer, or sell those assets.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India and the All-India Christian Council called the bill "dangerous" and "legalized loot." They argued it lacked due process, allowing property seizure without court orders, hearings, or appeal mechanisms.
The government defended the bill as a tool to prevent misuse of foreign funds for forced religious conversion. Critics countered that the FCRA framework has already been used against more than 10,000 Christian organizations since 2011.
Despite the pause, concerns remain that the legislation could be reintroduced when parliament reconvenes. Christian ministry leaders say they are watching the situation closely and preparing legal responses if the bill moves forward again.
