New Delhi Investigating 'Deeply Troubling' Reports on USAID Activities in India
The Indian government is reviewing "deeply troubling" information regarding U.S. governmental activities in the country, following remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that American funds were used to influence Indian elections.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) addressed the issue on Friday, two days after Trump cited disclosures from the U.S. Department of Government Expenditures (DOGE), led by Elon Musk. The information revealed that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had allegedly allocated $21 million for "voter turnout" efforts in India.
"We have taken note of the details released by the U.S. administration regarding certain USAID activities and funding. These reports are obviously very concerning and raise serious questions about foreign interference in India’s internal affairs," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a weekly briefing. He added that the "relevant departments and agencies" were investigating the matter.
USAID has yet to respond to requests for comment on the allegations.
The controversy erupted after DOGE published a breakdown of USAID disbursements on social media platform X on February 16, listing $21 million for voter turnout in India. Reacting to the disclosure, Trump, who has since frozen USAID funds, questioned the expenditure.
"Why are we spending $21 million on voter turnout in India? Wow. I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected," Trump remarked at an event in Miami.
His comments have ignited a political storm in India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party accusing each other of benefiting from foreign funding.
However, a report by The Indian Express on Friday, citing accessed documents, indicated that the $21 million Trump referenced was actually allocated to Bangladesh, not India.
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