Did the US Try to Interfere in India’s Elections? Musk-Led DOGE Cancels $22Mn Funding For ‘Voter Turnout In India’- wna24

Washington: The US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Saturday announced that it has cancelled a funding of $22 million intended for “voter turnout in India.”

In a post shared on X, the department said, “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been cancelled…”

This marks a key decision under President Donald Trump ’s administration, the department has been made to prioritise budget cuts as part of efforts to reduce government spending. Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has long argued that “America would go bankrupt” without substantial reductions in federal expenditures. As a result, the originally intended $21 million for voter participation in India’s elections will no longer be allocated.

In addition to the India funding, several other significant cuts were made by DOGE, including:

– $10 million for “Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision”
– $1.5 million for “voter confidence” in Liberia
– $14 million for “social cohesion” in Mali
– $2.5 million for “inclusive democracies in Southern Africa”
– $47 million for “improving learning outcomes in Asia”

This decision comes just days after a high-profile meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi , where the two leaders discussed strengthening US-India ties across various sectors. However, the cancellation of the $21 million for voter turnout in India was notably absent from any official statements or press releases following their discussions.

Amit Malviya from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) voiced his concern over the funding cuts, stating on X, “$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!” his post read.

The cuts are part of DOGE’s broader push to reduce government spending, but the department has faced opposition in its efforts to access critical systems like the Treasury payment system, as previously reported by CNN.

In parallel, Prime Minister Modi and Elon Musk spoke about the potential for deepening cooperation in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and good governance. Musk, who leads DOGE, was joined by three of his children during the meeting. A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) highlighted the discussions between the two leaders, emphasizing collaboration in innovation, space exploration, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. PM Modi also highlighted India’s commitment to reforms and his goal of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance,’ sharing the details of his meeting with Musk on X.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “The Prime Minister and Mr. Musk discussed strengthening collaboration between Indian and US entities in innovation, space exploration, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. Their discussion also touched on opportunities to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and good governance.”

During the meeting with Musk, PM Modi spoke about India’s efforts toward reform and furthering ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance.’ PM Modi took to X to share details regarding his meeting with Musk.