USAID funding claims concerning, says EAM

Information on the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) involvement in election-related funding is "concerning" and the country should know if any people were linked to "bad faith activities", external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI:

Jaishankar, who was speaking at the Delhi University Literature Festival, was referring to remarks by the US leadership about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cancelling allocations of hundreds of millions of dollars by USAID around the world, including $21 million for "voter turnout in India".

"I think some information has been put out there by the Trump administration people, and obviously, that is concerning. It would suggest there are activities which have a certain objective to push a narrative or a viewpoint," he said.

Noting that USAID was allowed into India "in good faith, to do good faith activities", Jaishankar said there is a need to examine the information released by the US administration.

"Now, suggestions are being made out of America that there are activities which are in bad faith. It surely warrants a look. If there is something to it, the country should know who are the people involved in the bad faith activities," he said.