The Indian government on Friday expressed serious concerns over recent remarks by former US President Donald Trump, who alleged that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allocated $21 million to India with the intent of “influencing its electoral process”.
Addressing a weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described Trump’s claims as “deeply troubling” and assured that the matter is under examination by relevant authorities.
“We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain USA activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling. This has led to concerns about foreign interference in India’s internal affairs,” Jaiswal stated.
He further added that the government is actively investigating the matter but refrained from making a detailed public statement at this stage.
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“Relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter. It would be premature to make a public comment at this stage, so relevant authorities are looking into it, and hopefully, we can come up with an update on that subsequently,” he added.
Trump’s Claims and Political Fallout
During a speech in Miami earlier this week, Trump announced the cancellation of the USAID grant to India and claimed that the previous Joe Biden-led administration was attempting to interfere in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections to “elect someone else.”
“Why do we need to spend $21 million for voter turnout in India? Wow, $21 million! I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected,” Trump had said.
However, an Indian Express investigation report countered these claims, stating that no USAID grant had been allocated for any election-related projects in India since 2008. The report asserted that the only USAID-funded initiative in Asia was a $21 million grant sanctioned in 2022 for Bangladesh’s voter participation project, “Amar Vote Amar” (My Vote is Mine).
BJP vs. Congress Political Clash
Trump’s remarks triggered a fresh political slugfest in India, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching a scathing attack on the Congress and calling Rahul Gandhi a “traitor.” The BJP accused the opposition leader of colluding with foreign forces in a bid to weaken India.
The Congress, on the other hand, pointed to the Indian Express report and demanded an apology from the BJP. It alleged that the ruling party’s narrative was aimed at diverting attention from its own use of foreign funds to destabilize past governments led by the grand old party.
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Additionally, Congress called on the central government to release a white paper detailing USAID funding and financial contributions from similar agencies operating in India.
As tensions rise over the allegations, the Indian government continues to assess the matter, with further updates expected soon. Stay tuned for the latest developments.
