The Colorado-based charity is one of India's biggest donors and has been operating for 48 years. Its donations, through child sponsorship, amount to about US$45 million a year.

Its closure has been directed by the Indian government "on suspicion of engaging in religious conversion".

Compassion International strongly denies it is funding religious conversions.

Its executives say India has given them no opportunity to rebut the accusation.

Its mission provides tens of thousands of children with meals, medical care and tuition payments and operates from 589 Indian-staffed development centers.

The charity is one of 11,000 to have lost their licenses to accept foreign funds since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014.

Compassion International's closure comes as India curtails the flow of foreign money to activities it deems "detrimental to the national interest."

Source

• India West
• New York Times
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