India, a member of the influential international body since 2010, is occupying this chair for the first time.
Union Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal was appointed the vice president of the body at the conclusion of the plenary meeting held at the outfit’s headquarters in Paris, a FATF statement said.
Aggarwal is a 1994-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of Madhya Pradesh cadre and has served in the past as the head of the Indian delegation to FATF.
“Members approved the Priorities of the FATF under the incoming UK Presidency, and appointed Mr. Vivek Aggarwal of India as the incoming Vice-President of the FATF (July 2026-June 2027),” the FATF said in the statement.
Delegates from more than 200 jurisdictions and observers gathered in Paris during June 17-19 to discuss threats to global financial integrity and security.
A senior officer told PTI that Aggarwal will succeed UK national Giles Thomson, who has been holding the post since July 1, 2025.
Meanwhile, the finance ministry termed the development a “landmark recognition” of India’s growing leadership in the global fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.
“The appointment places an Indian official at the apex of the global standard-setting body for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing,” the ministry said in a statement.
Aggarwal was serving as an additional secretary in the Union Finance Ministry when India’s last mutual evaluation report was published in 2024.
At the time, he also held the additional responsibility of Director, Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND).
Aggarwal said, “This appointment is a recognition of India’s collective effort and of the strength of our anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing framework.” Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivatsava said the appointment is a proud milestone for India and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening the integrity of the international financial system.
The FATF presidency runs on a two-year term, and the vice president assists the president in carrying out the organisation’s mandate.
In the 2024 report, the FATF lauded India saying its assessment of the country’s measures to tackle illicit finance concludes that it has implemented an anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) framework that is achieving good results.
