Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (February 22) raised concerns over reports that millions were sent to India by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), allegedly to influence elections and help boost voter turnout. First claimed by the Doge department, headed by Elon Musk, the claim that $21 million were allocated for “voter turnout” in India has been reiterated by President Donald Trump himself on several occasions.
Reacting to the report, the Indian minister said that the information provided by the US leadership was “concerning”.
“Your security can be threatened without you leaving your house because the thought processes, the influences, the narratives, your morale, your sense of what is right and wrong, are all influenced by your phone, what you read every day, the pictures you see,” he said while speaking at the Delhi University Literature Festival.
“… I think some information has been put out there by the Trump administration people and obviously that is concerning,” he added.
“It would suggest that there are activities which have a certain objective out there, to push a narrative or a viewpoint. As a government we are looking into it because such organisations have an obligation to report. And my sense is, the facts will come out,” said the minister.
The foreign minister said the USAID was allowed in India “in good faith”.
“Now, I read saying so-and-so dealt with USAID or so-and-so. Look, it’s not a question of do you deal with USAID or not. USAID was allowed – has been here historically. But USAID was allowed here in good faith, to do good faith activities. Suggestions are being made out of America that there are activities which are in bad faith. So, it surely warrants a look,” he said.
“And if there is something to it, I think the country should know who are the people involved in the bad faith activities,” Jaishankar said.
According to India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the funds given by the USAID may have been used to sustain “deep state assets” in India.
Trump on Thursday suggested that the government’s allocation of $21 million to India may be related to a “kickback scheme”.
According to news agency IANS, top Indian agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate, have already launched investigations to identify who were the recipients of American aid in India.
(With inputs from agencies)
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‘Concerning:’ Jaishankar says USAID’s alleged $21 million funding ‘warrants a look’
