US President Donald Trump has backed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s decision to scrap the financial aid which was allocated to improve the voter turnout in India.
Addressing the media, Trump said, “Why are we giving $21 million to India? They got a lot more money. They are one of the highest taxing countries in the world in terms of us, we can hardly get in there because their tariffs are so high.
“I have a lot of respect for India and the Prime Minister, but giving $21 million for voter turnout? In India? What about like voter turnout here?”
DOGE, which is helmed by billionaire Elon Musk, has cancelled a $21 million US taxpayer-funded grant, initiated by former President Joe Biden’s administration to influence “voter turnout in India.”
In its announcement, DOGE stated the $21 million was part of a larger $486 million budget allocated to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening.”
Another $29 million was slated for “strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh” – a country that witnessed political turmoil amid allegations of US ‘deep state’ involvement in the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Several other funding for countries from Asia and Africa have also faced similar fate.
The sweeping cancellations were part of efforts to improve government efficiency and ensure taxpayer dollars were not being spent on “questionable” overseas political activities, DOGE stated.
India Reactions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s adviser Sanjeev Sanyal has reacted to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s claim that the US funds were used by the Biden administration to improve the voter turnout in the Indian elections.
In an X post, Sanyal wrote, “Would love to find out who received the US$21mn spent to improve ‘voter turnout in India’ and the US$29mn to ‘strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh’; not to mention the US$29mn spend to improve ‘fiscal federalism’ in Nepal. USAID is the biggest scam in human history.”
(With inputs from IBNS)
