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9h ago

U.S. Embassy to India Says There Was No $21 Million USAID Voter-Turnout Grant

The clarification follows months of controversy over a DOGE list that investigators tied to a Bangladesh program.

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A USAID flag flutters outside the USAID Building in Washington DC | Reuters

Overview

  • India’s Ministry of External Affairs told the Rajya Sabha that the U.S. Embassy formally stated USAID/India neither received nor provided $21 million for voter turnout and ran no such activities from FY2014 to FY2024.
  • At New Delhi’s request, the embassy supplied detailed USAID funding data on July 2 covering 2014–2024 plus a beneficiary-wise breakdown for 2022–2024, with no entry matching the disputed grant.
  • The February 16 DOGE cancellation list triggered the dispute by listing a $21 million line for “voter turnout in India,” which subsequent reporting traced to a 2022 Bangladesh award.
  • The embassy informed the government that USAID operations in India concluded on August 15 and that all seven partnership agreements with the Government of India were closed effective that date.
  • Officials detailed the broader wind-down of USAID, noting 83% of programs were terminated, most staff were laid off, and full closure is scheduled for September 2, 2025.