Musk-headed DOGE cuts $21 mn US funding to increase voter turnout in India

The funding cuts are part of the Donald Trump administration’s larger efforts to reduce government spending.

Besides India, DOGE has also slashed a $29 million initiative that aimed to strengthen Bangladesh’s political environment.

Also read: Explained | Will the freeze on USAID funding affect India?

USAID funding

“US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been cancelled,” read a statement issued by DOGE listing out the programmes, funding to which has been discontinued.

The funding was made by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) which provides foreign aid in areas of education, health agriculture, and democracy, mostly in developing countries to help in development, humanitarian relief and economic growth.

The budget cuts are a reassessment of the Trump administration’s priority on areas it wants to spend money on and an attempt to cut down on international development projects.

It is also in line with Musk’s repeated assertions for budget cuts on international projects and to prioritise domestic issues instead.

External interference in Indian elections: BJP

Reacting to the news, the BJP said it is proof of “external interference” in India’s elections and asked who was benefitting from such programmes..

“‘$486M to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening,’ including $22M for ‘inclusive and participatory political process’ in Moldova and $21M for voter turnout in India. $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 party’s national spokesperson Amit Malviya said in a statement on X.

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In another post, he alleged there has been an infiltration of Indian institutions by foreign forces including billionaire investor George Soros.

“Once again, it is George Soros, a known associate of the Congress party and the Gandhis, whose shadow looms over our electoral process,” he said.

‘EC handed over to foreign operators’

Referring to the MoU signed in 2019 between the Election Commission (EC) and the International Foundations for Electoral Systems, which is connected with Soros’s Open Society Foundation –funded by USAID – Malviya accused the UPA government of handing over India’s electoral authority to “foreign operators”.

“Ironically, those questioning the transparent and inclusive process of appointing India’s Election Commissioner—a first in our democracy, where previously the Prime Minister alone made the decision—had no hesitation in handing over the entire Election Commission of India to foreign operators,” said the post.

“It is becoming increasingly evident that the Congress-led UPA systematically enabled the infiltration of India’s institutions by forces opposed to the nation’s interests—those who seek to weaken India at every opportunity,” it added.

USAID funding and elections

Recently speaking in Lok Sabha, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had also demanded probe against organisations funded by USAID in India while alleging that such organisations were connected to the Congress and fomented unrest in the country.

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The decision by DOGE also comes days US President Trump’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington.

When asked if USAID had a role in the 2020 US Presidential elections, which Trump alleges was rigged, and the Lok Sabha polls in India last year, he had replied in the affirmative.

“It (USAID) could have had a role in Indian elections. Bad things happened in 2020 and 2024. But the 2024 US polls were too big to rig. But I think they probably tried,” he said.