New Delhi: Contradicting the claims of US President Donald Trump made in February this year, the United States Embassy in India has told New Delhi that the “United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/India did not receive or provide funding of US$21 million for voter turnout in India from fiscal years 2014 to 2024, nor has it implemented any voter turnout-related activities in India”. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) informed the Rajya Sabha about the US Embassy’s version on Thursday in a written reply. The US President had claimed that USAID had allocated the money for “voter turnout” in India during the term of the previous Biden Administration and that this may have been an attempt at regime change in India. He had said on February 21: “Why do we need to spend US$ 21 million for voter turnout in India? … I guess they were trying to get someone else elected. We ought to tell the Indian Government because when we hear that Russia spent US$ 2000 in our country, it was a big deal. … This is a total breakthrough. US$ 21 million for India elections (sic).” On Thursday, minister of state (MoS) for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the Rajya Sabha said the MEA had sought details about Trump’s claim with the US Embassy on February 28. The MEA also sought a list of NGOs/implementing partners through which such initiatives were executed. On July 2, the US Embassy shared data that it said covered USAID funding in India from 2014 to 2024, including details of implementing partners, objectives, and key accomplishments of each activity undertaken. The Embassy also maintained that “USAID/India did not receive or provide funding of $21 million for voter turnout in India from fiscal years 2014 to 2024, nor has it implemented any voter turnout-related activities in India.” On July 29, the US Embassy conveyed to the MEA that it planned to bring all USAID operations to a close by August 15. On August 11, the US Embassy in New Delhi, in a letter to the department of economic affairs, conveyed that all seven Partnership Agreements signed with the Government of India would stand closed with effect from August 15.
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