USAid, the United States Agency for International Development, finds itself at the center of a political storm following allegations regarding a $21 million grant. Contrary to claims, USAid allocated these funds for a non-profit aiming to boost political engagement in Bangladesh, not India. Former U.S. President Donald Trump sparked the controversy by alleging that USAid was sending millions to support Indian elections.
Trump repeated his claims at two events, stating that USAid had earmarked "$18 million for helping India with its elections" and "$21 million going to my friend Prime Minister Modi in India for voter turnout." These statements were quickly refuted by USAid staff, who denied the existence of any such program in India.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk's "department of government efficiency," or Doge, asserted that the $21 million grant was canceled under Trump's extensive cuts to foreign aid. Surprisingly, Indian government officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have remained silent amid these allegations. However, the Indian opposition Congress party accused the ruling BJP of spreading "fake news from America."
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT cell, argued that Trump's claims were evidence of international actors attempting to undermine the BJP government. Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar described the allegations as "concerning," while department spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed that the claims were "deeply troubling." India's Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar also voiced his concerns.
"Shocked … the democratic process of this country was sought to be manipulated to dent the purity of our electoral system" – Jagdeep Dhankhar
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Modi's economic advisory council, criticized USAid as "the biggest scam in human history." The controversy has also alarmed members of India's civil society, fearing that Trump's allegations might justify further restrictions on their funding and operations by the BJP government. The BJP has long accused international civil society and human rights groups of attempting to destabilize it, leading to the shutdown of several respected organizations in India.
Observers see Trump's allegations as an effort to discredit USAid and its global development initiatives and as a pretext for diminishing the agency's role. In response, USAid has maintained its commitment to transparency and accountability in its operations worldwide.