The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is at the centre of controversy over its funding of various activities in other countries, including India, allegedly to further the US political agenda and achieve strategic objectives. The issue gained prominence after President Donald Trump’s administration created a new agency—the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—headed by Elon Musk, which subsequently cancelled grants to various projects, including those in India.

The controversy, which initially erupted on social media, has now spilled over into the mainstream media. India’s former Principal Economic Adviser and current member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, Sanjeev Sanyal, accused USAID of being “the biggest scam in human history." He also demanded details on how USAID spent US$21 million in India, which was sanctioned to improve voter turnout.

This strong condemnation follows a series of exposés by various fact-checkers and independent investigators on social media. These fact-checkers and investigators have released extensive information on how USAID allegedly worked to subvert democracies and undermine the sovereignty of nations, including India. Many of these claims are supported by screenshots of reports, leaked documents, and WikiLeaks letters.

However, at the same time, the internet is flooded with counter-fact-checking efforts and verification of these claims. In such a scenario, a rigorous investigation by the government and its agencies, along with a re-audit of accounts by independent auditors appointed by the government, could help clarify the situation and bring the facts into the public domain.

Section 3(1) of The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 categorically states that the following categories of individuals and organisations cannot accept foreign contributions:

The current debate is also about the USAID funding political activities in........

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