Elon Musk’s initiative termed the “department of government efficiency” has sparked significant controversy in India following accusations that the U.S. government has been funneling millions into the Indian electoral process.

Last week, a post on Musk’s social media platform, X, by the group Doge—founded by Donald Trump—asserted that a $21 million grant from USAID, aimed at boosting “voter turnout in India,” was canceled due to major cuts in foreign aid initiated by the president.

However, investigations by the Indian Express revealed that no such funds were ever allocated for India, with USAID officials also refuting claims of such a program’s existence.

Documents indicate that USAID had instead earmarked $21 million for a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing political participation in Bangladesh, particularly during a time of intense governmental repression of political opposition.

In light of this misinformation, Trump eagerly used the situation to target USAID and its international initiatives, attempting to justify cuts to the agency. Musk added that Doge aims to dramatically reduce USAID’s influence.

At a Miami gathering, Trump stated, “Why do we need to allocate $21 million for voter turnout in India? That seems excessive. Clearly, there was an attempt to sway elections.”

He reiterated the accusation the following day, implying that the funds were intended for “my friend Prime Minister Modi” to support voter engagement in India. Trump further inflated the claim during remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, adjusting the figure to “$18 million for assisting India with its elections,” labeling it as a “kickback scheme.” He expressed frustration, saying, “They take advantage of us pretty well.”

These misleading assertions arose shortly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the new U.S. president in Washington, where Trump praised Modi as a “great leader,” and Modi referred to Trump as a “friend.”

Trump’s remarks had a profound resonance in India, especially as Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has long accused international NGOs and human rights advocates of attempting to destabilize its governance. This climate has led numerous respected organizations such as Amnesty International and Greenpeace to halt their operations in the country.

Several BJP officials interpreted Trump’s comments as validation of their belief that outside entities are conspiring against the BJP government and meddling in domestic affairs. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT cell, stated that Trump’s remarks confirmed efforts to manipulate the Indian electoral process and to install a leader other than Modi.

India’s Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, expressed his astonishment, stating, “It is shocking that the integrity of our electoral system is being undermined.” Meanwhile, Sanjeev Sanyal, who sits on Modi’s economic advisory council, described USAID as the “largest scam in human history.”

The foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, termed the allegations “concerning,” while spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal indicated at a press briefing that the claims were “deeply troubling.”

The unfolding controversy has raised alarms among members of India’s distressed civil society, who fear that the accusations against USAID could justify further restrictions on funding and operations by the BJP government.

In response, India’s opposition Congress party accused the BJP of disseminating “false narratives from America” while remaining silent as Trump and Musk disparaged India. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh remarked, “Elon Musk fabricated a claim, while Trump seems to have confused Dhaka with Delhi. The BJP must clarify this: Why are they promoting misleading information about India’s democracy?”