New Delhi: Days after the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the leadership of billionaire Elon Musk, canceled a $21 million grant aimed at enhancing “voter turnout” in India, President Donald Trump expressed his support for the decision and raised concerns regarding the use of US taxpayers’ funds for such a purpose.
“Why are we allocating $21 million to India? They possess significantly more financial resources. They rank among the highest taxing nations in relation to us, and we face considerable barriers due to their elevated tariffs. I hold India and their Prime Minister in high regard, but funding $21 million for voter turnout in India? What about the voter turnout in our own country?” President Trump stated at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2025
On February 16, DOGE published a list of taxpayer-funded programs that have been cut, including the $21 million allocated for India’s voter turnout. The announcement was made via a post on X, where DOGE laid out a series of foreign assistance programs deemed excessive or unjustifiable.
US taxpayer funds were set to be allocated for various initiatives, all of which have now been cancelled, as stated by DOGE.
In addition to the funds intended for voter turnout in India, the list of discontinued financial support included a $29 million grant aimed at “strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh” and $39 million designated for “fiscal federalism” and “biodiversity conservation” in Nepal, among other international projects.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) characterized the cancelled funding as “external interference” in India’s electoral process.
“$21 million for voter turnout? This is undoubtedly external interference in India’s electoral process. Who benefits from this? Certainly not the ruling party!” remarked BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya in a statement.
He further connected the initiative to what he described as the “systematic infiltration” of Indian institutions by foreign entities. Mr. Malviya specifically pointed to billionaire investor George Soros, who has faced accusations from right-wing political figures globally regarding his influence on domestic politics through his Open Society Foundations.
“Once again, it is George Soros, a known associate of the Congress party and the Gandhis, whose influence casts a shadow over our electoral process,” asserted Mr. Malviya.
The BJP has consistently expressed concern over foreign-funded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups operating within India. Mr. Malviya also highlighted a contentious 2012 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) established between the Election Commission of India and The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), an organization associated with Mr. Soros’s Open Society Foundation.
Mr. Malviya stated that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was established during the tenure of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, facilitated inappropriate foreign influence on India’s electoral framework.
He noted, “It is ironic that those who are questioning the transparency and inclusivity of the process for appointing India’s Election Commissioner—an unprecedented move in our democracy, where the Prime Minister previously held sole authority—had no qualms about transferring control of the entire Election Commission of India to foreign entities.”
Additionally, he accused the Congress party of deliberately permitting foreign interference in the governance of India. “The Congress-led UPA government systematically allowed foreign forces, which are antagonistic to the interests of our nation, to infiltrate India’s institutions—those who aim to undermine India at every turn,” he asserted.
