'Deeply troubling': India investigating US funding claims amid foreign interference concerns, says MEA

NEW DELHI: India has taken note of the US administration's disclosures about certain activities and funding, including a claim by US President Donald Trump that USAID provided $21 million to influence India’s elections. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has termed the matter "deeply troubling" and said that relevant departments and agencies are examining the potential implications.
"We have seen information that has been put out by the US administration regarding certain USA activities and funding. These are obviously very deeply troubling. This has led to concerns about foreign interference in India's internal affairs," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday.

He added that relevant departments and agencies are investigating the matter. "It would be premature to make a public comment at this stage, so relevant authorities are looking into [it], and hopefully, we can come up with an update on that subsequently," Jaiswal said.
Trump's remarks have sparked political reactions in India, with opposition leaders demanding clarity on the nature of US involvement. USAID, the US government's international development agency, has yet to issue a formal statement addressing the claim.