The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a crackdown on foreign-funded nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) fearing undue influence on public policies by outside activists. The new criteria also calls for foreign-funded consultants working within the government to resign by December 2016 if they have worked for three or more years. Most affected thus far seem to be health organizations.

Modi’s government has apparently taken this action to reduce the protests by dissidents, which they say exist within some foreign-funded NGOs.

As of March 2011, the most recent period for which data is available, about 22,000 NGOs received a total of more than $2 billion from abroad, of which $650 million came from the U.S., as reported by The Guardian.

The full extent of impact on faith-based organizations is still unknown, but thus far India has banned 15 Christian and Muslim welfare organizations from receiving foreign funds.

Pray for a wise and prudent response by NGOs, particularly Christian missions organizations, to the Indian government’s action.

The article above is a summary of the news below:

The Guardian: India cracks down on foreign funding of NGOs

Times of India: Govt bans foreign funding of 69 NGOs, 30 of them work for minorities

Hindustan Times: Foreign-funded consultants get marching orders from Modi govt

Reuters: India sacks some foreign-funded consultants; health programmes may suffer