When Graham Staines and his two young sons were brutally martyred in Odisha State in 1999, it shook the conscience of the nation and sparked a wave of nationwide prayer and Christian solidarity. It was in the shadow of that tragedy that the All India Christian Council (AICC) was born — a non-ecclesiastical alliance dedicated to protecting the Church and serving the marginalized communities among whom Graham had laboured.
For the past four years, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has been convening ecumenical gatherings, bringing together heads of various churches to foster unity and mount a collective response to the widespread, systemic attacks on the Christian faith and its institutions. At the fourth such ecumenical meeting held in Bangalore on May 8, 2026, Church leaders formally launched the National Federation of Churches in India (NFCI), electing Cardinal Anthony Poola as its Chairman, alongside three convenors.
While forums such as the CBCI and the AICC already exist, the urgent need of the hour was a broad-based national platform that brings all churches and denominations together. The goal is to present one united voice — both nationally and globally — to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints and to safeguard the constitutional rights and freedoms of India’s Christian community.
The May 8 meeting took place against the backdrop of highly restrictive anti-conversion bills recently passed in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. These laws are so severe that even two members of the same family turning to faith in Jesus can be labelled “mass conversion.” Prayer for the sick is treated with suspicion, and ordinary home prayer meetings risk being classified as illegal conversion activities.
The relentless propaganda accompanying these bills has fueled hatred against Christians, particularly among hardline Hindu nationalist groups. While the vast majority of Hindus continue to regard Christians as friends and neighbors, a vocal minority is sowing seeds of suspicion and violence. This has resulted in regular harassment, false accusations, arrests, physical attacks, and even killings — especially in states where Christians form a tiny minority.
Southern states with larger Christian populations have so far managed to resist the worst excesses. Tragically, India is now ranked among the world’s top persecuted nations for Christians.
Extremist elements propagate the same anti-Christian ideology even in Western democracies, enjoying the freedoms and rule of law there while raising funds — often non-transparently — to support radical agendas back in India. This stands in stark contrast to the decades of accountable, philanthropic work carried out by the global Christian community in India.
The recently introduced (and later deferred) FCRA Amendment Bill triggered global concern. The proposed changes, including the appointment of a “designated authority” to control assets of organizations whose FCRA registration is cancelled, suspended, or not renewed, have drawn sharp criticism.
The designated authority is reminiscent of the “Office of Jewish Affairs” formed by the Gestapo. It’s a disturbing parallel with authoritarian tactics used historically to target minority communities and their institutions.
Though the government claims it is not targeting Christians, the reality is that the Christian community has built one of the largest nationwide networks of educational, medical, and social service institutions, touching the lives of millions annually — including heroic service during the COVID-19 crisis.
With a single stroke, a non-transparent FCRA apparatus could cancel registrations and assume control over assets built over decades with global Christian investment and charitable giving. Many have already witnessed how selective enforcement has adversely affected respected organizations in the past.
In the face of such challenges — legislative, political, financial, and legal — no single denomination or existing alliance can respond effectively alone. Hence the birth of the National Federation of Churches in India as a first-of-its-kind national ecumenical platform.
The NFCI’s guidelines make it clear: this unity is not based on doctrinal uniformity (those conversations belong in other forums) nor on control over member bodies. Its primary purpose is to provide one strong, united voice and coordinated action plan to defend the democratic and constitutional rights guaranteed to every Indian citizen.
We are encouraged that one of India’s largest Pentecostal bodies — the Synod of the Pentecostal Churches in India — has already joined the Federation. The NFCI is actively reaching out to Christian churches, institutions, and concerned friends globally to highlight the serious and sustained nature of the challenges facing the church in India.
This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed, when bishops gathered in Nicaea to affirm our common faith. In this significant year, the Indian Church is demonstrating a powerful spirit of unity across all traditions — not for doctrinal merger, but to stand together in defence of the faith and the freedoms we cherish.
Just as the early Church Fathers at Nicaea stood together to safeguard the truth entrusted to them, the Indian church today stands shoulder to shoulder, undaunted by the trials of our time, confident that the same faith which has endured 1,700 years will continue to flourish in India. We invite our brothers and sisters around the world to join with us in prayer and solidarity as well.
Archbishop Joseph D'Souza is a renowned civil rights activist. He is archbishop of the Anglican Good Shepherd Church of India and the President of the All India Christian Council.
