Deeply troubling, agencies probing foreign interference in India’s internal affairs: MEA on USAID funding

New Delhi: India on Friday said that relevant departments and agencies are looking into the information put out by the US administration about the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) meddling in Indian elections and spending millions to influence voter turnout in the country.

“We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain USAID activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling. This has led to concerns about foreign interference in India’s internal affairs,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi during a media briefing.

“Relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter. It would be premature to make a public comment at this stage. Relevant authorities are looking into this and hopefully we can come up with an update on that subsequently,” he added.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the Biden administration’s motive behind spending $21 million through the USAID to influence electoral outcome in India.

“Why do we need to spend $21 million on voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected. We have got to tell the Indian Government… This is a total breakthrough,” Trump said while speaking at the FII Priority Summit in Miami on Thursday, India time.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump had backed the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) decision to cancel the $21 million funding for “voter turnout in India”.

“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 their Prime Minister, but giving $21 million for voter turnout? In India? What about voter turnout here?” Trump remarked while speaking at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

The Elon Musk-led DOGE had on February 16 announced the cancellation of the $21 million grant, outlining several foreign assistance programmes – the India voter turnout project topping the list – that had been deemed unnecessary or excessive.

The department had also listed several other countries where the US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent, all of which have now been cancelled.

It included $29M to “strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh” and $20M for “fiscal federalism” in Nepal.

Questions are also being raised about the role of USAID and other organisations in Bangladesh during the Biden period and its role in ousting the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, last August. All USAID aid programmes in Bangladesh have now been suspended.

IANS