New Delhi, June 22 (APAC Media): Senior Indian IAS officer Vivek Aggarwal has been appointed as the next Vice-President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the 2026-27 term, marking a significant achievement for India on the global financial stage.
He is a 1994 batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre.Â
Aggarwal, who is currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, will succeed Giles Thomson of the United Kingdom in the role. The decision was taken during the FATF Plenary meeting held between June 17 and 19.
A seasoned administrator, Aggarwal previously led India’s delegation to the FATF and played a crucial role in strengthening the country’s engagement with the international anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing body.Â
He also served as Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND).
Welcoming the development, the Ministry of External Affairs described the appointment as a major milestone for India.Â
Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the selection reflects India’s continued commitment to combating terrorist financing and disrupting illicit financial networks worldwide.
He noted that Aggarwal’s extensive experience in financial intelligence and international cooperation would contribute significantly to advancing FATF’s efforts to protect the integrity of the global financial system.
During the Plenary, FATF members reviewed global measures aimed at tackling money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing. The watchdog placed Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iraq under increased monitoring, while Algeria and Namibia were removed from the FATF grey list after successfully completing their respective action plans.
The Plenary also selected Giles Thomson as the next President of the FATF. He will take over from Elisa de Anda Madrazo of Mexico.
The FATF is the world’s leading standard-setting body responsible for developing and promoting policies to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.Â
India became a member of the organisation in 2010 and has since played an increasingly active role in its initiatives.
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