As we enter the final stages of the horse trading negotiations to form a government that will no doubt have to wield the public spending axe like an Olympic lumberjack, reducing non ring fenced budgets like health and overseas aid it is interesting to note that India continues to receive in excess of £205 million per year in development aid from the UK.
In its glossy Country Guide, the Department for Internal Development notes that between 2008/2009 and 2010/2011 DFiD will spend £825 million.
Since 2001 the UK will have sent over £2.2 billion.
Just thought I would repeat that, £2.2 billion.
This is the same India that whilst recognising it’s own poor can still afford nuclear weapons, space programmes and a shopping spree for its armed forces.
Given our obvious financial problems perhaps we can ask for some money for our own poor.
Just to round this story off, India has finalised the purchase of 10 C17′s, that’s three more than the RAF, in a deal worth about £4 billion that includes spares, training, defensive aids and other elements.
There is no doubt the Security and Defence review will comprise all sorts of grand words and justifications but the net result will be a smaller defence budget, less equipment and less support for a well constituted armed forces.
DFiD don’t see things like this of course, they just revel in the amount of money they are spending.
In an era when the armed forces are struggling for every penny; don’t have enough air support, vehicles that are 40 years old, ships at an all time low it is good to see that the Department for International Development, in a press release dated the 1st of April 2010, proudly proclaiming that overseas aid is at its highest level for 45 years.
£7.4 billion, that is.
The press release goes on to say;
The figures also show that the UK is one of the few G8 countries on course to meet its 2005 Gleneagles commitment of contributing 0.7% of GNI to international aid from 2013.
it would seem other countries have more sense than us.
So Dave and Nick, when our armed forces are struggling to get home from Afghanistan because of an inadequate air bridge perhaps you can explain to them why it is important to send British tax payers money to a country that can afford more C17′s than us.
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5 Comments
Definitely a good question to drop on your MP’s doormat now that they’re basking in the glory of their success. I’m dropping one to mine, I’ll let you know what the reply is.
It was interesting discussing this once with an Indian on a defence forum, he got quite angry at the suggestion that Britain should stop giving money to India and that if India wants to helps it poor it could divert money from defence or Space projects. He seemed to consider the British money as reparations for our colonial rule, which apparently did nothing good for India. Nor could he see why money should be given to the countries poor over space projects or weapons systems.
…Just an entirely different mindset that I can’t relate to.
you must’ve been sitting behind me in the pub the other day!!!!! I said exactly the very same things ref having more C-17′s I also threw in for good measure The brand naval port they built open in 2005 (phase 1) part of the multi billion project seabird, new ports for the new aircraft carriers they are going to buy. (ours if you listen to the rumours)!!!
Point is these funds should be reined in first at least the recent contracts are keeping british people in jobs regardless of where the profits are going. My new MP is labour time to pay a visit, no coffee required!!
ps don’t forget the fighter contract is £10billion+ as well
This definitely helps argue the case for at the very least reassigning some of the Overseas Aid budget to better projects, like a few handy RFA “disaster relief vessels”.
In these tough economic times it only makes sense to ditch DFID and spend the money elsewhere or simply reduce spending so total borrowing can be reduced. International Aid is something that can be argued about but I for one believe it does not do that much good as it causes problems alongside fixing some.