UK Aid To India Sparks Outrage As Another Space Mission Is Launched

Is the UK’s financial assistance to India justified when the latter is investing in ambitious space projects?

On Saturday, September 2, India successfully launched its Aditya-L1 spacecraft, a mission aimed at studying the sun, while the UK continues to funnel millions in aid to the nation, according to the Daily Express.

Rising UK Aid Amid Indian Space Programme

According to data from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the UK allocated £33.4 million in aid to India for the fiscal year 2022/23. This figure is expected to escalate to £57 million by 2024/25.

India’s Solar Exploration

The Aditya-L1 spacecraft is set to be positioned at the Lagrange point 1 (L1), a point in space where the gravitational forces of the sun and Earth neutralise each other.

After a four-month journey, the spacecraft will have an uninterrupted view of the sun and will conduct studies on its surface. The mission’s budget is approximately 3.78 billion rupees (£36 million), as reported by Indian media outlets.

This launch comes hot on the heels of India’s successful moon landing through its Chandrayaan-3 craft, further fuelling debates about the UK’s financial contributions to India.

Public Sentiment And Policy Implications

In July, John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, commented on the rising aid to India: ‘The foreign aid debacle has been allowed to carry on for far too long.

‘Arbitrary spending targets have seen untold millions sent abroad to fund spurious projects in countries with larger economies than our own. To create a fairer deal for taxpayers, ministers should scrap the target and make aid available when truly needed.’

The question of whether the UK should continue its financial support to India, especially when the country is capable of funding its own space missions, remains a contentious issue. Critics argue that the aid could be better utilised for domestic projects or in countries with more pressing needs.