'What NED does today, CIA did covertly': India-Italy relations expert backs FCRA Amendment Bill
The first FCRA was passed by Parliament in 1976 under then PM Indira Gandhi. It was overhauled in 2010 under the Manmohan Singh govt, the analyst said
- Aug 12, 2026,
- Updated Aug 12, 2026 5:03 PM IST
India-Italy relations analyst and adviser Carlo Lombardi has defended the government's proposed changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). He said NGOs can also serve as instruments of foreign policy, and governments have a right to know how foreign funds are being used.
"NGOs are great; they do a lot of good work for humanity, but they are also an instrument of foreign policy. This is not a secret," Lombardi told news agency ANI.
He said India's FCRA framework is not new. The first FCRA was passed by Parliament in 1976 under then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was overhauled in 2010 under the Manmohan Singh government, he said, adding that the law was "actually harsher in the day".
Lombardi also pointed to the growth of technology and financial channels, saying they have made foreign influence easier. He also cited foreign funding and foreign-agent regulations in several Western countries.
"The United States passed the Foreign Agents Registration Act in 1938," he said, noting that the law was introduced to counter German covert influence.
He also referred to Australia's Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme and the UK's Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. He said the FCRA is part of a broader pattern of regulations that have existed in Western countries for decades.
The analyst cited the National Endowment for Democracy, established in the US in 1983. He quoted its co-founder Allen Weinstein as saying in 1991: "Much of what the NED, National Endowment for Democracy, does today, the CIA did covertly 25 years earlier."
Lombardi said governments should ensure foreign funding is used for the purposes for which it was received. "For example, money coming in for educational purposes, and then the NGO uses it for protests against the government, driving a political agenda under the umbrella of charitable, non-profit goodwill organisations," he said.
Lombardi said India's proposed rules should be viewed in the context of similar regulations elsewhere.
The US Foreign Agents Registration Act, he said, requires registration and disclosure and carries a five-year sentence for violations. He described that as "much harsher than the current Indian bill, which is being discussed."
Must Watch: FCRA Bill 2026 Row: India Debunks U.S. Claims On NGOs, Churches & Foreign Funds
BILL SENT TO JPC
The government on Tuesday sent the FCRA bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further scrutiny. The committee has been asked to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament in 2026.
The legislation has faced opposition from a section of people, including Christian outfits. A US senator has also said the bill was against Christians in India.
Congress MP KC Venugopal said the legislation was aimed at minorities and NGOs. "This is clearly for targeting minorities and NGOs. We demand that the Bill be withdrawn," Venugopal said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju rejected the charge. He said the Congress and other Opposition parties had themselves demanded that the bill be sent to a House committee.
"If they have any reservations about the Bill, they can speak in the JPC. This is not targeted at any minority community," Rijiju said.
India-Italy relations analyst and adviser Carlo Lombardi has defended the government's proposed changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). He said NGOs can also serve as instruments of foreign policy, and governments have a right to know how foreign funds are being used.
"NGOs are great; they do a lot of good work for humanity, but they are also an instrument of foreign policy. This is not a secret," Lombardi told news agency ANI.
He said India's FCRA framework is not new. The first FCRA was passed by Parliament in 1976 under then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was overhauled in 2010 under the Manmohan Singh government, he said, adding that the law was "actually harsher in the day".
Lombardi also pointed to the growth of technology and financial channels, saying they have made foreign influence easier. He also cited foreign funding and foreign-agent regulations in several Western countries.
"The United States passed the Foreign Agents Registration Act in 1938," he said, noting that the law was introduced to counter German covert influence.
He also referred to Australia's Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme and the UK's Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. He said the FCRA is part of a broader pattern of regulations that have existed in Western countries for decades.
The analyst cited the National Endowment for Democracy, established in the US in 1983. He quoted its co-founder Allen Weinstein as saying in 1991: "Much of what the NED, National Endowment for Democracy, does today, the CIA did covertly 25 years earlier."
Lombardi said governments should ensure foreign funding is used for the purposes for which it was received. "For example, money coming in for educational purposes, and then the NGO uses it for protests against the government, driving a political agenda under the umbrella of charitable, non-profit goodwill organisations," he said.
Lombardi said India's proposed rules should be viewed in the context of similar regulations elsewhere.
The US Foreign Agents Registration Act, he said, requires registration and disclosure and carries a five-year sentence for violations. He described that as "much harsher than the current Indian bill, which is being discussed."
Must Watch: FCRA Bill 2026 Row: India Debunks U.S. Claims On NGOs, Churches & Foreign Funds
BILL SENT TO JPC
The government on Tuesday sent the FCRA bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further scrutiny. The committee has been asked to submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the last day of the first week of the Winter Session of Parliament in 2026.
The legislation has faced opposition from a section of people, including Christian outfits. A US senator has also said the bill was against Christians in India.
Congress MP KC Venugopal said the legislation was aimed at minorities and NGOs. "This is clearly for targeting minorities and NGOs. We demand that the Bill be withdrawn," Venugopal said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju rejected the charge. He said the Congress and other Opposition parties had themselves demanded that the bill be sent to a House committee.
"If they have any reservations about the Bill, they can speak in the JPC. This is not targeted at any minority community," Rijiju said.