WASHINGTON: Days after the US Department of Government Efficiency led by billionaire Elon Musk announced a series of expenditure cuts, including USD 21 million allocated for “voter turnout in India”, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said India, with its growing economy and high taxation rates, did not need such financial support.
According to reports, while Trump acknowledged his respect for India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he criticised the idea of funding voter turnout initiatives in the country.
“Why are we giving USD 21 million to India? They have a lot more money. They are one of the highest taxing countries in the world in terms of us; we can hardly get in there because their tariffs are so high. I have a lot of respect for India and their Prime Minister, but giving USD 21 million for voter turnout?”, Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago residence on Tuesday.
Trump chose Musk to head the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last month. Tasked with improving governance and curbing wasteful expenditures, the DOGE in a post on X on February 15 announced cancelling many programmes costing hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars.
The department said, “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all (of) which have been cancelled…”
The list included USD 486 million in grants to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening” including USD 21 million for “voter turnout in India” and USD 22 million for “inclusive and participatory political process” in Moldova. No further details on the funding were given in the post.
This came days after PM Modi’s official visit to the US, during which he held talks with President Trump, as well as Musk.
Reacting to the post, senior BJP leader Amit Malviya had termed the grant as ‘external interference’ in India’s elections. He questioned who the beneficiary was, asserting that it was ‘not the ruling party for sure’.
“USD 21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!” the BJP’s IT department head said on X.
He claimed that the now cancelled programme was a pointer to the previous Congress-led UPA government allegedly enabling infiltration of Indian institutions by forces opposed to the country’s interests.