What happened

The Ministry of Home Affairs’ Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 backgrounder says registration certificates will now specify the approved purpose or purposes and the State or Union Territory of operation. The same backgrounder says existing registered associations have a one-year transition period to submit the required particulars in Form FC-6F, and they do not need fresh registration only because certificates will now carry these details.

The backgrounder also says the 2026 Rules list permissible religious purposes, keep faith-based welfare activities eligible for foreign funding, and apply the restriction on proselytisation across all faiths. It further says NGOs renewing registration must show utilisation of foreign contributions over the prior two-year period above the minimum threshold fixed by the rules.

Background and earlier position

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 regulates acceptance and use of foreign contributions by individuals, associations, and companies. The statutory design has long focused on transparency, prior permission or registration, and restrictions on use of foreign funds for purposes considered contrary to public interest.

Before the latest compliance change, registration practice did not require the certificate to spell out the exact purpose and the specific State or Union Territory in the manner now described in the backgrounder. The new framework therefore adds a more granular operational filter to the registration record.

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