Exclusive: USAID and abet – Is US funding 'elections' in India?

Between 2001 and 2024, USAID has disbursed a total of $2.9 billion to India. That's an average of $119 million annually.

In Short

• Donald Trump claims $21 million to India for voter turnout
• USAID election funds to India were less than $500,000, no funds after 2018
• $23.6 million was actually given to Bangladesh for elections

US President Donald Trump claimed that $21 million was given by USAID to India for “Voter Turnout”. This is untrue. Between 2008 and 2024, USAID disbursed $23.6 million for the purpose of “Elections” to Bangladesh. For the same purpose, India has received only a fraction of that amount — less than half a million dollars between 2013 and 2018.

But let’s start at the start.

What happened: Soon after assuming the Oval Office for a second term, President Donald Trump made several major controversial changes, including dismantling the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) without following due process.

While this move had far-reaching ramifications across the globe, the proverbial faeces hit the fan in the subcontinent when the Elon Musk-led federal cost-cutting initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), shared a list of USAID grants that included India. A sum of $21 million was allegedly going to be spent in the country to boost voter turnout. This was, per DOGE, part of a larger $486 million funding to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening or CEPPS for election-related programs worldwide.

This immediately and predictably led to speculation about US interference in Indian elections. Trump’s statement after this disclosure only fanned flames. "Why are we giving $21 million to India? They have a lot more money. They are one of the highest taxing countries in the world in terms of us,” he said, adding "$21 million for voter turnout in India. Why do we care about India's turnout? We got enough problems?" and, "It's a kickback scheme, you know?"

What we found: India Today’s Data Intelligence Unit looked into the grants disbursed to India in the past 24 years as per the data available on the US Foreign Assistance website.

Between 2001 and 2024, USAID has disbursed a total of $2.9 billion to India. That’s an average of $119 million annually. $1.3 billion or 44.4 per cent of this money was granted during the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance regime (2014-2024). During the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime (2004-2013), India received $1.2 billion in grants, or 41.3 per cent.

Nearly a quarter of that money has been received in the last four years. USAID disbursed $650 million to India or 23 per cent between US FY2021 and US FY2024, with the highest grant ($228.2 million) received in US FY2022 alone when Joe Biden was president. In the United States, the federal government's fiscal year is from October to September.

Money spent: Of the $2.9 billion, the “Health and Population” sector received the largest chunk, accounting for 56 per cent of the funds, or $1.6 billion. Meanwhile, the “Governance” sector received a paltry 4.2 per cent or $121 million, making it the fourth-largest funded sector.

Of this $121 million grant, $26.6 million was disbursed under the head “Government and Civil Society”, while the remaining $94.7 million was given for “Other Social Infrastructure and Services”.

Of the $26.6 million for “Government and Civil Society”, $14.6 million was given for “Elections” and “Democratic Participation and Civil Society” purposes, with the former receiving $484,158. The amounts were first granted in US FY2013.

Money to ‘Elections’: The amount for the purpose of “Elections” was disbursed to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), which comprises non-profit organisations that aim to advance and support democratic practices and institutions around the globe.

USAID was obligated to fund $500,000 via CEPPS for the “Elections” purpose to India in 2013, of which it finally paid $484,158 between 2013 and 2018. No funds were disbursed under the “Elections” purpose after 2018.

According to the US Foreign Assistance website, this money was given to “promote legitimate contestation for ideas and political power through democratic political processes that reflect the will of the people. Establish or develop competitive multiparty systems through improving the legal and regulatory framework under which political parties and political entities operate”.

Notably, the CEPPS website is currently not operational.

Other payments: The first batch of funds ($365,000) for the purpose of “Democratic Participation and Civil Society” came in US FY2013. The remaining amount started pouring in between US FY2020 and US FY2024.

As many as eight implementing partners received $14.1 million under the purpose of “Democratic Participation and Civil Society”. These include the National Democratic Institute, which received the largest share of $7.6 million amongst the eight partners in four different installments consecutively between 2021 and 2024. They received the money to strengthen the Central Tibetan Administration and to make it sustainable in delivering services to Tibetans.

The National Democratic Institute is a non-profit American NGO whose stated mission is to "support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability".

RTI International, an American independent non-profit research institute, received $2.3 million in two different instalments for the purpose of improving access to affordable, secure, reliable and sustainable energy for all in South Asia, as mentioned on the website. Other partners include Deloitte, Open Government Partnership, US Government - General Services Administration, etc.

The $21 million question: The Indian Express debunked the claim that India received $21 million for “voter turnout”. In reality, $23.6 million was actually given to Bangladesh under the USAID purpose of “Elections”. India Today's DIU independently verified this. Of this amount, $18.1 million was given to CEPPS and the balance to other agencies.