Union Culture Minister Vivek Agarwal on Friday was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the international body responsible for setting standards for tackling money laundering and terrorist financing, marking the first time India has bagged the post of Vice-Chairman of the organisation. The country has been a member of the influential body since 2010.
Aggarwal was appointed Vice-Chair of the FATF at the end of the general meeting held at the organization’s headquarters in Paris, according to an official statement. He will take over from UK national Giles Thompson, who has held the position since July 1, 2025.
“Members agreed on the priorities of the FATF under the next UK presidency and appointed Mr Vivek Agarwal from India as the next Deputy Chair of the FATF (July 2026 – June 2027),” the body said in a statement.
Who is Vivek Agarwal?
- A 1994-batch Madhya Pradesh cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Agarwal had earlier headed India’s delegation to the Financial Action Task Force and also served as Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FTU).
- He has over 30 years of administrative experience and has served in several key roles in both Union and State governments. His work has covered areas such as finance, agriculture, urban development, infrastructure and public policy.
- Before taking over as Culture Minister in April 2025, Aggarwal was Additional Secretary in the Revenue Department of the Finance Ministry. During that period, he headed India’s Financial Intelligence Unit and led India’s delegation to the Financial Action Task Force.
- He also served as Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, where he oversaw key programs including the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi programme, digital agriculture and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
- He was serving as Additional Secretary in the Union Finance Ministry when India’s last mutual assessment report was released in 2024.
- External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described Aggarwal’s appointment as a “major victory” for India and said the situation reinforces the country’s ongoing efforts to fight global terrorism financing networks.
- Jaiswal said Aggarwal’s “deep experience” as former head of India’s delegation to the FATF will help the organization move forward with its mission to ensure financial soundness.
How did Vivek Agarwal react to the appointment
In his statement, Vivek Agarwal said that the appointment reflects India’s collective efforts and the strength of the country’s AML/CFT framework.
“I am deeply honored to serve and look forward to working with the FATF Global Network to keep the international financial system safe, inclusive and resilient,” he added.
The Chairmanship of the FATF lasts for a period of two years, while the Vice-Chairman supports the Chairman in carrying out the responsibilities of the organization.
With input from agencies
