US President Donald Trump has, for the fourth consecutive day, reiterated his claim that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allocated $21 million to India to boost voter turnout. In his latest remarks, Trump specifically mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi by name, stating, “Twenty-one million dollars going to my friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India for voter turnout. We are giving $21 million for voter turnout in India. What about us? I want voter turnout too.” His comments were made during a rally where he once again questioned the Biden administration’s funding decisions related to international democracy programs.
Trump’s statement directly contradicts reports suggesting that the $21 million USAID grant was, in fact, designated for Bangladesh and not for India. The Indian Express published an investigative report revealing that the USAID grant in question was sanctioned for a project in Dhaka in 2022, focusing on strengthening democratic engagement and political participation. The report also clarified that India had not received any USAID funding for election-related activities since 2008. Similarly, The Washington Post debunked Trump’s claim, confirming that the funds were explicitly allocated for Bangladesh’s electoral programs and had no connection to India’s electoral process.
Despite these clarifications, Trump has continued to push his narrative, implying that the funding was used to influence elections in India. On February 19, he first questioned the purpose of providing $21 million to India, stating that the U.S. “can hardly get in there” due to high trade tariffs. The next day, he escalated his allegations, suggesting that the Biden administration might have used the grant to interfere in India’s 2024 Lok Sabha elections. At a Republican governors’ conference on Friday, he labeled the funding as part of a “kickback scheme”, saying, “Why are we caring about India’s voter turnout? We got enough problems… it’s a kickback scheme, you know.”
The controversy has prompted a response from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which expressed deep concern over the allegations and the implications of foreign involvement in India’s internal affairs. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing the media, stated that “all relevant government departments are looking into the matter,” emphasizing that any foreign funding in election-related activities is a serious concern for the Indian government. However, the MEA did not confirm whether USAID had, in fact, funded any projects in India, maintaining a cautious stance on the matter.
Trump’s remarks have also triggered a political storm in India, with both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress party using the controversy to attack each other. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya took a swipe at the opposition and the media, tweeting, “For the third day in a row, US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim about USAID funding efforts to promote voter turnout in India… But what does he know about his own country’s spending? The Indian Express and the deranged Left think they know better!” The BJP has also attempted to turn the controversy against Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of colluding with foreign forces to undermine India’s democracy. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that a significant portion of USAID’s funding to India came during the Congress-led UPA government’s tenure and alleged that funds directed toward NGOs were used to “strengthen Rahul Gandhi ahead of the polls in an attempt to defeat Narendra Modi.”
On the other hand, the Congress party has dismissed Trump’s claims as “nonsensical” and has demanded transparency from the Modi government regarding all foreign funding received from USAID. Congress leader Pawan Khera, in a press conference, pointed out that the BJP had itself been in the opposition for years and had sought “external influence” to destabilize Congress-led governments in the past. The party has called for the release of a White Paper detailing USAID’s financial assistance to Indian institutions and NGOs over the years.
This ongoing debate underscores the sensitivities surrounding foreign funding in India’s political landscape. While the BJP and Congress continue to trade accusations, Trump’s repeated assertions have added an international dimension to the discourse, raising questions about the broader implications of USAID funding and its role in global democracy-building initiatives. As India moves closer to its general elections, the issue of foreign influence—real or perceived—could become an even more contentious subject in the country’s political narrative.
