India was on Friday accorded the vice presidency of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global body that sets standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing, for the first time. New Delhi has been a member of the influential international body since 2010.Vivek Aggarwal is a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre and has served as the head of the Indian delegation to the FATF and as the director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). (X/PIB)Union Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal was appointed the FATF vice president at the conclusion of the plenary meeting held at the outfit's headquarters in Paris, an official statement said. He will succeed UK national Giles Thomson, who has been holding the post since July 1, 2025."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 a statement.The vice president of the FATF is elected by the FATF Plenary from among its members and assists the president in steering the organisation's work.Who is Vivek Aggarwal?Vivek Aggarwal is a 1994-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre and has served as the head of the Indian delegation to the FATF in the past and also as the director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).He was serving as an additional secretary in the Union finance ministry when India's last mutual evaluation report was published in 2024. In the report, the FATF lauded India, stating that its assessment of the country's measures to tackle illicit finance found that it has implemented an anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) framework that is achieving good results.Centre hails FATF appointmentMinistry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described Aggarwal's election as a "major win" for India and said the leadership role reinforces India's relentless focus on combating global terrorist financing networks."As India continues to champion a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, this leadership role reinforces our relentless focus on combating global terrorist financing networks and dismantling illicit financial systems," he said.Jaiswal said Aggarwal's "profound expertise" as the former head of India's FATF delegation will advance the organisation's mandate to secure financial integrity.The union culture ministry termed it on X a "landmark" appointment."It reflects the immense trust and credibility India has built across more than 200 jurisdictions, highlighting the nation's proactive role in shaping global policy on emerging risks like digital payments and virtual assets. This achievement underscores the global community's faith in India's institutional strength and shared commitment to international financial integrity," the ministry said.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.How Vivek Aggarwal reactedIn his statement, Vivek Aggarwal said that the appointment was a recognition of India's collective effort and of the strength of our anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing framework."I am deeply honoured to serve, and look forward to working with the FATF Global Network to keep the international financial system safe, inclusive and resilient," he said.Delegates from more than 200 jurisdictions and observers gathered in Paris during June 17-19 to discuss threats to global financial integrity and security.