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New Delhi reacts to DOGE withdrawing US funding for ‘voter turnout’
(MENAFN) India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has expressed alarm over “external interference” in the country’s elections after the US Department of government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, canceled a $21 million program aimed at boosting voter turnout in India. The funding, which was directed through the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) under the US Agency for International Development (USAID), was part of a broader cost-cutting initiative. However, details about the recipients of this funding were not disclosed.
The cut also included $29 million for strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh and $20 million for fiscal federalism in neighboring Nepal, further raising concerns in India about foreign involvement in regional politics. In response, BJP leaders questioned the recipients of the $21 million and whether this funding had any influence on India's election outcomes.
The controversy comes after the US President Donald Trump’s early executive order, which criticized USAID for corruption and led to the suspension of foreign aid pending a review. The issue resurfaced after Modi’s visit to Washington, where Trump was asked about the role of USAID in both the 2020 US presidential election and India's 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Trump suggested that USAID could have been involved in India's elections.
In India, foreign contributions to political parties are prohibited under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010. Former US State Department official Mike Benz also claimed that US funding and media influence in countries like India and Bangladesh could be viewed as covert intelligence operations.
The cut also included $29 million for strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh and $20 million for fiscal federalism in neighboring Nepal, further raising concerns in India about foreign involvement in regional politics. In response, BJP leaders questioned the recipients of the $21 million and whether this funding had any influence on India's election outcomes.
The controversy comes after the US President Donald Trump’s early executive order, which criticized USAID for corruption and led to the suspension of foreign aid pending a review. The issue resurfaced after Modi’s visit to Washington, where Trump was asked about the role of USAID in both the 2020 US presidential election and India's 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Trump suggested that USAID could have been involved in India's elections.
In India, foreign contributions to political parties are prohibited under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010. Former US State Department official Mike Benz also claimed that US funding and media influence in countries like India and Bangladesh could be viewed as covert intelligence operations.
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