Morning Brief: USAID’s $21M Election Grant Used For Regime Change In Bangladesh, Not India; EV Manufacturing Scheme For Global Cos Set For April Rollout; Trump Open To New Deal With Xi

Catch up on the day’s must-read stories with Swarajya's roundup of the morning's headlines.

USAID’s $21M Election Grant Used To Engineer Regime Change In Bangladesh

The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced earlier this week that it had "cancelled" several projects, including $21 million in USAID funding for voter turnout in India. Trump has questioned why the US was spending $21 million on voter turnout in India, implying it was meant to support a particular political outcome. However, a report in The Indian Express claims that the funds were actually allocated to Bangladesh, not India.

Of the $21 million, $13.4 million had already been disbursed for initiatives focused on "political and civic engagement" among Bangladeshi students ahead of the January 2024 elections. These projects, conducted months before Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, raised concerns about election integrity.

A month after Hasina was ousted, a Dhaka University professor involved in the initiative shared details on social media, posting under the header, "It’s Not Suddenly ‘Spring’! Hello Bangladesh 2.0." He credited USAID for supporting "544 youth events and programs" across the country, which, in his words, aimed to "promote youth democratic leadership".

This has reinforced suspicions that the US deep state played a role in Hasina's ouster, making it seem less like a mere conspiracy theory.

EV Manufacturing Scheme For Global Cos Set For April Rollout

The Central government will soon invite applications for its electric car manufacturing promotion scheme, offering global OEMs a reduced 15 per cent import duty instead of the existing 70 per cent. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has drafted guidelines for implementation, with the scheme expected to open for applications by late March or early April. Companies must commit a minimum investment of 500 million dollars, applicable to both greenfield and brownfield projects, with 5 per cent allowed for charging infrastructure. Approved applicants must achieve at least Rs 5,000 crore in revenue by the fourth year and Rs 7,500 crore by the fifth year, with penalties of 1-3 per cent for revenue shortfalls. While several global and domestic automakers have engaged with the government, Tesla has not participated in consultations.

Trump Signals Openness To New Deal With China 

President Donald Trump indicated he is open to a new trade deal with China, saying it is "possible." However, he has not outline any specifics, and significant obstacles remain, including his own decision to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on all Chinese imports. While criticising China’s trade practices and fentanyl exports, Trump has praised President Xi Jinping, calling their relationship "a great one." In January 2020, Trump had reached an initial trade deal under which China agreed to curb intellectual property theft and buy $200 billion in US goods. However, the deal quickly fell apart as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, with Trump blaming China for the crisis.

Other Developments

CBSE To Hold Class X Board Exams Twice A Year

CBSE plans to hold Class X Board exams twice a year, in February and May, starting 2026, giving students flexibility in scheduling. Students can take both exams and choose the subjects they wish to appear for, with the final certificate reflecting their best scores. The decision follows discussions led by education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, with semester-based and modular exam formats ruled out. Exams will not be conducted before February to ensure syllabus completion and minimise weather-related disruptions. The new schedule aims to align with undergraduate admission timelines and will feature a more compact exam structure.

PM Internship Scheme Round 2 Sees Over 100K Offers From Companies

The corporate affairs ministry announced that over 100,000 internship offers from 300 major companies are now available in the second phase of the PM Internship scheme. In the first round, 280 of the 500 selected firms, including Reliance, TCS, and HDFC Bank, collectively offered 127,000 internships, surpassing the initial target of 125,000. Each intern will receive Rs 5,000 per month for a year, with the government covering Rs 60,000 and companies contributing Rs 6,000 per intern, which can be adjusted against CSR spending. A portal has been launched for candidates to apply, allowing them to filter opportunities by location, sector, and company. The scheme aims to provide 10 million internships over five years to improve youth employability.

Rainfall Deficit, Rising Temperatures Threaten Wheat Crop

India’s winter crops face a severe threat as a 70 per cent rainfall deficit and unusually warm temperatures impact wheat farmers across northern states. The country received only 9.8mm of rainfall from January 1 to February 20, 2025, compared to the normal 33mm, with Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh witnessing deficits as high as 97 per cent. Temperature anomalies show significantly higher maximum and minimum temperatures across key wheat-growing regions. While the Centre maintains that wheat availability is sufficient, it has slashed stock limits for traders from 1,000 tonnes to 250 tonnes with immediate effect. Traders have 15 days to offload excess stock, with the revised order effectively taking full effect after March 5.

Indian-Origin Kash Patel Confirmed As FBI Director

The US Senate confirmed Indian-origin Kash Patel as the new FBI director on Thursday in a 51-49 vote, despite Democratic concerns over his qualifications and political ties to Trump. Two Republican Senators joined all Democrats in opposing his confirmation. Patel’s appointment comes amid internal turmoil at the FBI, including the US Justice Department’s recent dismissal of several top officials. A former counterterrorism prosecutor who served as the chief of staff to Trump's acting defense secretary Christopher Miller, he has been a vocal critic of the FBI. His past remarks have raised concerns about whether he can lead the agency impartially.

From The States

Gujarat: ASI Dives Back Into Sea To Find Dwarka’s Lost Ruins

Nearly two decades after its last excavation, the ASI’s Underwater Archaeology Wing has resumed exploration of the submerged ancient city of Dwarka off Gujarat’s coast. The mission aims to uncover material remains of the 4,000-year-old planned city, believed to be Krishna’s karmabhoomi in Hindu mythology. This marks a revival of the ASI’s efforts to study and protect India’s underwater cultural heritage. The latest exploration also includes Bet Dwarka, an island near Okha, where previous excavations took place between 2005 and 2007. The project seeks to shed new light on the mysteries surrounding one of India’s most fascinating submerged sites.

Andhra And Telangana Clash Over Krishna River Water

Telangana has urged the Union government to intervene in its Krishna river water dispute with Andhra Pradesh, accusing the latter of illegally diverting water from the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar Dams. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy have raised concerns over depleting water levels ahead of a harsh summer, pushing for telemetry devices to monitor usage.

Andhra Pradesh, meanwhile, has accused Telangana of overusing water from Srisailam, while opposing the installation of monitoring systems. The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has allocated 131 tmcft to Telangana and 27 tmcft to Andhra Pradesh for the current water year, but accessing these shares depends on maintaining minimum reservoir levels. With no resolution from the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal on permanent allocation, tensions continue to escalate between the two states.

Rahul Gandhi Criticises Mayawati, She Hits Back

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his visit to Uttar Pradesh, questioned why BSP chief Mayawati was not fighting elections properly. Addressing Dalit students in Raebareli, he acknowledged Kanshi Ram’s contribution and Mayawati’s work but asked why she was not as active in elections. Reacting sharply, Mayawati accused the Congress of harboring an "animosity and casteist attitude" towards the BSP in states where it is strong. She also called out the party’s "double standards," alleging that while Congress leaders oppose the BSP elsewhere, they talk of alliances in Uttar Pradesh, where they are weak.

Follow along for more updates throughout the day.