Who Is Vivek Aggarwal? First Indian Appointed FATF Vice President

Vivek Aggarwal Appointed as the Vice President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).  This appointment marks the milestone as the this is the first time an Indian official has been elected to this influential leadership position within the international organization and it is responsible for the combating the money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes.

What Happened?

At the conclusion of the FATF Plenary meeting which was held in Paris, Vivek Aggarwal was elected as the Vice President of FATF.

He will serve in this role from July 2026 to June 2027.

The position of the Vice President is one of the most important leadership roles within the FATF.

The Vice President assists the President in to guiding the organization’s priorities, coordinating with international cooperation and overseeing the efforts to strengthen global financial integrity.

Who Is Vivek Aggarwal?

Vivek Aggarwal is the1994-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre.

Over a period in his administrative career, he has held the several important positions in the Government of India and has built the extensive expertise in financial intelligence, policy implementation, regulatory affairs and international cooperation.

He is currently serving as the India’s Union Culture Secretary, Aggarwal has also played the key role in shaping the India’s anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing systems.

His experience in the both domestic governance and international financial regulation made him as the strong candidate for the FATF leadership position.

Key Roles Held by Vivek Aggarwal

Throughout his long career, Aggarwal has occupied the several significant positions, including the,

• Head of India’s delegation to FATF
• Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND)
• Additional Secretary in the Union Finance Ministry
• Senior administrative positions involving financial regulation and policy implementation
• Union Culture Secretary

What Is FATF?

The Financial Action Task Force is an intergovernmental organization which was established in the year 1989 to combat the money laundering, terrorist financing and threats to the international financial system.

FATF develops the global standards and recommendations that member countries follow to strengthen the financial transparency and prevent illegal financial activities.

Key objectives of FATF includes the,

• Preventing money laundering
• Combating terrorist financing
• Monitoring financial crime risks
• Enhancing the international cooperation
• Promoting financial transparency
• Addressing emerging threats such as virtual assets and cyber-enabled crimes