India's Vivek Aggarwal elected vice president of global finance watchdog FATF

Senior Indian bureaucrat Vivek Aggarwal has been elected as vice president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the intergovernmental body that sets global standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced the development on social media platform X on [date if known, else omit]. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described it as a “major win for India in FATF” and highlighted that the appointment reinforces India’s focus on combating terrorist financing and dismantling illicit financial systems.

Aggarwal, a 1994-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, currently serves as Secretary in the Ministry of Culture. According to the MEA, his experience as former head of India’s FATF delegation and former director of the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) will contribute to advancing FATF’s mandate of safeguarding financial integrity.

The Ministry of Culture also welcomed the development, stating that it reflects the confidence and credibility India has built across more than 200 jurisdictions. It noted India’s proactive role in shaping global policy on emerging risks such as digital payments and virtual assets.

Before taking charge as Culture Secretary in April 2025, Aggarwal served as additional secretary in the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance. In that role, he oversaw matters related to anti-money laundering, economic security, GST, and financial intelligence.

He has also held senior positions in the Ministry of Agriculture, where he led initiatives including PM-KISAN, Digital Agriculture, and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. With over three decades of administrative experience across finance, agriculture, urban development, infrastructure, and public policy, Aggarwal brings extensive expertise to his new role at the FATF.

The FATF, established in 1989, sets standards and promotes effective implementation of legal, regulatory, and operational measures to protect the international financial system from illicit activities. Aggarwal’s election to the vice presidency underscores India’s growing involvement in global financial security efforts.