Amid growing concerns over USAID funding in India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday called recent revelations by the Trump administration “concerning” and confirmed that the government is investigating the matter. Speaking at an event in Delhi, Jaishankar said that while USAID was allowed in India "in good faith," reports suggesting activities conducted "in bad faith" warrant scrutiny.
During an interaction at the DU Literature Festival, hosted at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Jaishankar addressed concerns about USAID's role in India. He stated that if the allegations hold weight, “the country should know who are the people involved in the bad faith activities.”
Jaishankar underscored the evolving nature of security in a digital world, pointing out that it’s no longer just about armed forces or law enforcement. “Security is also about how your thought processes are influenced, how narratives are set, how facts are presented to you, how your mind is molded without you even knowing it,” he said. He warned that threats can arise through NGOs, technology, and rankings that shape public perception, making people doubt their own democracy. “It’s a very dangerous and Machiavellian game,” he remarked.
The discussion, moderated by Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, touched on concerns raised by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Addressing an event in Miami on Thursday, Trump had questioned why USAID had allocated $21 million for voter turnout in India, raising suspicions about potential foreign influence in the country’s electoral process.
Jaishankar reiterated that the Indian government is examining the claims. “Such organizations have an obligation to report. My sense is, the facts will come out,” he said. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has called the revelations “deeply troubling,” with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirming that relevant agencies are looking into the matter.
Earlier, Sanyal said the USAID was the biggest scam in human history. "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 spend to improve "fiscal federalism" in Nepal. USAID is the biggest scam in human history," the economist said in a tweet.