New Delhi: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the leadership of Elon Musk, announced on Saturday that it has cancelled a USD 21 million fund aimed at boosting voter participation in India. The move is part of wider reductions in international aid, affecting various programmes in countries like India, Bangladesh and Mozambique.
The official DOGE account shared a post on the social media platform X, detailing a list of US taxpayer-funded initiatives that have been cancelled. “The official DOGE account shared a post on the social media platform X, detailing a list of US taxpayer-funded initiatives that have been canceled, ” DOGE’s statement highlighted the cancellation, specifically mentioning the USD 21 million allocated for “voter turnout in India.”
Trump administration budget cuts
The decision is a major move under President Donald Trump’s administration. It has emphasised budget reductions to curb government spending. Elon Musk, who leads DOGE, has consistently warned that “America would go bankrupt” without major cuts to federal expenditures. As a result, the USD 21 million originally designated to boost voter participation in India’s elections will no longer be distributed.
The decision was announced just days after President Donald Trump met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss enhancing US-India relations across multiple sectors. However, the cancellation of the voter turnout funding was not mentioned in any official statements or press conferences following their meeting.
BJP expresses concern
Amit Malviya, the BJP’s social media chief, expressed his concerns on X, questioning the intent behind such funding. “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!” Malviya posted.
Apart from the funding cut for India, other major cancellations include:
- USD 29 million for strengthening the political landscape in Bangladesh
- USD 39 million for fiscal federalism and biodiversity conservation in Nepal
- USD 10 million for Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision
- USD 1.5 million for voter confidence in Liberia
- USD 14 million for social cohesion in Mali
- USD 2.5 million for inclusive democracies in Southern Africa
- USD 47 million for improving learning outcomes in Asia
Modi-Musk meeting
During his recent visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Elon Musk to discuss enhancing collaboration between Indian and US entities in areas such as innovation, space exploration, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. Their conversation also covered opportunities to strengthen ties in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and governance. Musk attended the meeting along with three of his children.
