India (MNN) — India’s foreign funding laws present more problems for Christian organizations.

John Pudaite of Bibles For The World reminds us, “The FCRA is the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, and this is the law under which all donations from outside of India are allowed to come into India in support of charitable activities.”

India’s Hindu nationalist government frequently uses the FCRA to stifle growth in the charity sector, where groups like Bibles For The World work with society’s most vulnerable communities. Since 2022, more than 100 non-government organizations or NGOs have lost their FCRA licenses.

(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada)

Most NGOs rely on foreign funding to operate in India. When the government removes a group’s FCRA license, it puts a chokehold on NGO activity. Vulnerable communities suffer because they have nowhere else to turn for help.

Or, like one Bibles For The World partner, groups are stuck in never-ending registration limbo.

“They submitted renewal applications back in 2021, so this is three and a half years that they have been pending; nearly four years,” Pudaite says.

Recently, the government began issuing temporary three-month extensions for groups in the limbo camp. “The current extension is only until September 30,” Pudaite says.

“We’re trying to get as many funds as we can to our partners [to] sustain their activities through the end of the year at least.”

Pray the nationalist government will soften its attitude toward Christian organizations. Pray that the Indian government will finish reviewing and renewing the FCRA applications that are pending, especially for Christian organizations.

“Currently, there are over 3,000 (FCRA) applications pending for renewal. Most of these pending applications are [from] Christian organizations and churches,” Pudaite says.

 

The header image depicts the State Bank in New Delhi. Previously, nonprofits receiving foreign funding under FCRA needed to create a bank account at any government-approved bank. Under the amended FCRA, all nonprofits must create and solely use a new account with the State Bank of India at New Delhi. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons; caption: Council on Foundations)