India on Friday bagged the position of Vice-Chair of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global body that sets standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, for the first time. New Delhi has been a member of the influential international body since 2010.
An official statement said that Federal Minister of Culture Vivek Agarwal was appointed Vice-Chairman of the FATF at the conclusion of the general meeting held at the group’s headquarters in Paris. He will succeed British 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 Vice-Chair of the FATF (July 2026 – June 2027),” the FATF said in a statement.
Vice President of The FATF is elected by the FATF Plenary from among its members and assists the President in directing the work of the Organization.
Who is Vivek Agarwal?
Vivek Agarwal is a 1994 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, who has served as the Head of the Indian Delegation to the FATF in the past and also the Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
He was serving as Additional Secretary in the Union Finance Ministry when India’s latest mutual assessment report was published in 2024.
In the report, the FATF praised India, noting that its assessment of the measures the country has taken to tackle illicit finance found that it has implemented an anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework that is achieving good results.
The Center applauds the FATF appointment
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal described Agarwal’s election as a “huge win” for India and said the leadership role reinforces India’s continued focus on combating global terrorist financing networks.
“While India continues to champion a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, this leadership role reinforces our continued focus on combating global terrorist financing networks and dismantling illicit financial systems,” he said.
Jaiswal said Aggarwal’s “deep experience” as former head of India’s delegation to the FATF will strengthen the organization’s mission to ensure financial soundness.
The X union Ministry of Culture described it as a “historic” appointment.
“It reflects the tremendous trust and credibility that India has built across more than 200 jurisdictions, highlighting the country’s proactive role in shaping global policy on emerging risks such as digital payments and virtual assets. This achievement underscores the global community’s faith in India’s institutional strength and shared commitment to international financial integrity,” the ministry said.
the The Finance Ministry described the development as a “historic recognition” of India’s growing leadership in the global fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.
“This appointment places an Indian official at the head of the global standard-setting body for combating money laundering and terrorist financing,” the ministry said in a statement.
How did Vivek Agarwal react?
In his statement, Vivek Agarwal said the appointment was an acknowledgment of India’s collective effort and the strength of the 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 said.
Delegates from more than 200 jurisdictions and observers met in Paris from June 17-19 to discuss threats to global financial safety and security.
