 In 2008, he became Vice-President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India; and in 2010, he was elected President.He was also elected Secretary General and then President of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences from 2010 to 2019.On 13 April 2013, he was appointed to the eight-member Council of Cardinals, informally the Council of Cardinal Advisers, established by Pope Francis to help with governing the Catholic Church and reforming its central administration.