In a recent address at the FII Priority Summit in Miami, U.S. President Donald Trump questioned the allocation of $21 million by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at increasing voter turnout in India. Trump suggested that these funds might have been intended to influence the electoral outcome in the country.
"Why do we need to spend $21 million on voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected," Trump remarked, implying potential interference in India's democratic process.
This revelation has ignited a political firestorm in India. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seized upon Trump's comments to criticize the opposition Congress party. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP's IT department, took to social media, stating, "$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process." He further alleged that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had previously facilitated such foreign involvement, pointing to a 2012 Memorandum of Understanding with The International Foundation for Electoral Systems during the tenure of then-Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi.
In response, Congress leaders dismissed the allegations as baseless. Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress figure, called for transparency, urging the government to release a detailed report on USAID's engagements with Indian institutions since its inception in 1961. He labeled Trump's assertions as "typically nonsensical" but emphasized the need for clarity regarding USAID's role in India.
The controversy has also brought to light past associations between Indian politicians and USAID. Congress leader Priyank Kharge highlighted that BJP minister Smriti Irani had served as a USAID goodwill ambassador to India from 2002 to 2005. The BJP clarified that Irani's role was linked to a World Health Organization campaign during that period, endorsed by the Delhi Transport Corporation under then-Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit of the Congress party.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, recently announced the cancellation of the $21 million USAID grant intended for voter turnout initiatives in India. This move aligns with DOGE's broader mandate to eliminate what it deems unnecessary government expenditures.
As the debate intensifies, questions arise about the extent of foreign influence in India's electoral processes and the transparency of international aid allocations. Both major political parties continue to trade barbs, each accusing the other of compromising national sovereignty for political gain.
