India Slams USAID $21M Fund Claim as ‘Deeply Troubling’ Interference in Elections
On Friday, February 21, 2025, India’s government raised a red flag over comments from U.S. President Donald Trump. He claimed the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) pumped $21 million into India to mess with its 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) didn’t mince words, calling it “deeply troubling” and a possible meddle in India’s business.
Trump dropped a bombshell, saying USAID handed out $21 million to boost “voter turnout” in India’s elections last year. His hint? That this cash might’ve been a sneaky way to sway the results. It’s a big accusation, especially since India prides itself on running its own democratic show. The claim’s got extra weight because Trump’s new administration just axed the funding, stirring up old suspicions about foreign hands in Indian politics.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal faced the press in New Delhi and didn’t hold back. “We’ve seen what the U.S. administration said about this funding—it’s very deeply troubling,” he said. He made it clear India sees this as a poke into its internal affairs, something no country likes. “Foreign interference in our elections? That’s a big deal, and we’re not taking it lightly,” Jaiswal added. The government’s already digging into it, but they’re keeping the details hush-hush for now.
Elections are sacred in India—the world’s biggest democracy with over 900 million voters in 2024. Any whiff of outside influence gets folks riled up. Trump’s words hit a nerve because they echo past tensions. Back in 2014, India got mad over U.S. spying claims from Edward Snowden’s leaks. Now, this USAID drama’s got people asking: Is the U.S. trying to play puppet master? Jaiswal promised the government’s on it, saying, “Our agencies are looking into this, and we’ll update you when we know more.”
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USAID’s a U.S. agency that usually helps with stuff like health and education in poorer countries. But election funding? That’s trickier. A report from The Indian Express on February 21 said no USAID cash has gone to Indian elections since 2008. Instead, that $21 million was for a Bangladesh voter project in 2022. So, did Trump mix up his facts? India’s not waiting to find out—they’re treating it like a national security alert.
India and the U.S. have been cozying up lately, teaming up on tech and defense. But this spat could cool things off. Jaiswal hinted at that, saying, “Foreign interference worries us, and we’re handling it.” Meanwhile, the BJP and Congress are slugging it out over the claim, with the BJP crying foul and Congress saying it’s all a misunderstanding. Either way, it’s a diplomatic headache India didn’t ask for.
For now, India’s keeping its cards close. “It’s too early to spill all the beans,” Jaiswal told reporters. The government’s digging through records and talking to the U.S. behind closed doors.
