US seeks ‘clarification’ from India on Ford Foundation issue

The US has expressed concern over India’s crackdown on funding to foreign NGOs operating in the country Ford Foundation and Greenpeace, and said it is seeking “clarification” in the matter.

“We are aware that the (Indian) Ministry of Home Affairs suspended the registration of Greenpeace India and has placed the Ford Foundation on a prior permission watch list,” State Department Deputy Acting Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters on Friday.

“We remain concerned about the difficulties caused to civil society organisations by the manner in which the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act has been applied,” she said in response to a question.

“We are concerned that this recent ruling limits the necessary and critical debate within Indian society and we are seeking a clarification on this issue with the appropriate Indian authorities,” Harf said. In a crackdown on foreign fundings to NGOs, the Indian Union Home Ministry has put the Ford Foundation of the US on its “watch list” and ordered that all funds coming from the international organisation have to be routed only with its nod due to “national security concerns”.