Elon Musk’s DOGE cancels $21M US funding for 'voter turnout' in India shortly after PM Modi’s US visit

The US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has announced the cancellation of $21 million in funding meant to increase voter turnout in India. The decision was part of a broader international aid cut under the Trump administration, which has prioritized reducing government spending. The announcement was made through an official post on X, listing several canceled US taxpayer-funded initiatives.

Among other programs affected, DOGE canceled $29 million allocated for strengthening Bangladesh’s political landscape, $39 million for fiscal federalism and biodiversity conservation in Nepal, $10 million for voluntary medical male circumcision in Mozambique, and $1.5 million for voter confidence initiatives in Liberia. A total of $486 million in funding was originally allocated to the "Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening," including $22 million for an inclusive political process in Moldova.

BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya responded to the announcement, questioning the purpose of the $21 million originally allocated to voter turnout in India. “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 on X. Indian economist Sanjeev Sanyal also questioned the allocation, stating, “Would love to find out who received the US$21mn spent to improve 'voter turnout in India' and the US$29mn to 'strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh'; not to mention the US$29mn spent to improve 'fiscal federalism' in Nepal. USAID is the biggest scam in human history.”

The Indian government and the Election Commission of India have not issued any official response regarding the cancellation. The $21 million was intended for voter participation efforts in India, a country with over 950 million eligible voters. It remains unclear which organizations or initiatives were originally set to receive the funds before the program was scrapped.

The cancellation comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the US, where he met with Elon Musk. Their discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in technology, space exploration, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the meeting also touched on emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and governance, but no mention was made of the DOGE funding cuts.

DOGE, a department formed under the Trump administration’s second term, has been implementing cost-cutting measures across various sectors. In addition to international aid reductions, DOGE has sought access to critical US government financial systems, including the Treasury payment system. The agency has faced both political and legal scrutiny over its actions, with debates continuing over its role in restructuring government expenditures.