Elon Musk’s DOGE cancels $21 million US funding for voter turnout in India

New Delhi: The United States has cancelled millions of dollars in funding for several countries, including India and Bangladesh as the new administration led by President Donald Trump makes budget cut. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Sunday announced that the US has decided to slash a $21 million program designed to increase voter turnout in India and a $29 million initiative aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s political landscape.

“US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all of which have been cancelled,” the Musk-led department announced on X.

The decision, part of broader cuts to international aid, will impact key initiatives aimed at improving electoral processes and political stability in both countries. The cuts reflect a reassessment of US foreign aid priorities and a broader push to curtail spending on international development projects.

Elon Musk has time and again asserted that “America would go bankrupt” without budget cuts and the initiative seems to be in line with the budget overhaul that the administration has been planning.

The $21 million earmarked for India was specifically targeted to boost voter participation in the country’s elections. However, this funding will no longer be available, as announced by DOGE on social media platform X.

Notably, the announcement comes just days after Donald Trump met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the two leaders made significant announcements to strength US-India ties. However, this did not find a mention in the joint statements or the press conference,

In Bangladesh, the $29 million program was designed to foster political stability and enhance democratic governance. The country has been grappling with a political crisis with Army ousting Sheikh Hasina-led government amid violent protests.