For decades, India has been a battleground for global powers trying to assert their influence over its political and economic structures. Among the most prominent of these influences have been the United States’ operations through various organisations like USAID, the Ford Foundation, and the Congress for Cultural Freedom.
The Messenger: Chester Bowles
Chester Bowles, appointed the first US Ambassador to India, was tasked with ensuring India’s alignment with US foreign policy. His success in getting Nehru to sign the Indo-US Technical Development Agreements marked the beginning of a deepening relationship that would see American influence entrenched in India’s development processes.
The Kalergy Plan
Richard Kalergy’s vision for a unified Europe sparked US involvement in global governance. The American Committee for Unified Europe (ACUE), funded by the CIA, was a key player in pushing this agenda, with figures like Allen Dulles involved in its creation, laying the groundwork for US influence in other global regions, including India.
The Puzzle Named India
Paul Hoffman, an integral figure in the Ford Foundation, played a pivotal role in infiltrating India’s developmental landscape. Chester Bowles’ warning to Hoffman about India’s strategic importance was the catalyst for the Ford Foundation’s entry into the country, where it began shaping policies in alignment with US interests.
The Village: Ford Foundation’s Entry
In the 1950s, India welcomed Paul Hoffman, the Ford Foundation’s president, with open arms. The establishment of the Foundation’s office in New Delhi marked the beginning of large-scale US involvement in India’s rural development, education, and agriculture through initiatives like the “Village Level Community Development Program.”
The Confusion: Rockefeller’s Agricultural Program
In the 1950s, Rockefeller Foundation’s agricultural programs in India led to the introduction of new crop varieties. Confusion over their timeline to enter India reveals the long-term strategic goals of US foundations to control key sectors like agriculture, ultimately enabling American companies to dominate India’s seed market.
The Loot and Scoot: PL 480 Agreement
The PL 480 food grain import agreement between India and the US became a tool for American influence, often leading to India’s economic dependence on the US. This relationship allowed the US to exert control over India’s food security, marking the beginning of broader economic subjugation.
Capture Them Young: Ford Foundation in Education
The Ford Foundation’s educational initiatives, such as grants for building schools, allowed the US to influence India’s young minds. With a focus on rural education, these initiatives not only shaped the curriculum but also created a generation loyal to American policies.
The Money Shower: US Funding
By the 1960s, almost every sector in India, from education to health, was funded by US institutions. The Ford Foundation, USAID, and Rockefeller Foundation flooded India’s universities and government programs with funds, effectively capturing the country’s intellectual and policy-making domains.
The Plan: India’s Five-Year Plans
India’s first three Five-Year Plans, heavily funded by the US, were labelled “CIA plans” by opposition leaders. These plans shaped India’s infrastructure and development in a way that aligned with US interests, further cementing the influence of foreign powers on India’s growth trajectory.
Recruits – 1: The First Indian Employees
By the 1980s, the Ford Foundation began hiring Indian nationals to lead its initiatives in India. These recruits would go on to form NGOs and lead initiatives that furthered the agenda of US foundations, creating an entrenched network of local agents who worked in alignment with American objectives.
Recruits – 2: A Growing Network
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, individuals like Kiran Bhatia and Maja Daruwala joined the Ford Foundation. These recruits would rise to prominent positions in civil society, shaping India’s political and economic narratives from within, often under the guise of social and economic development.
Recruits – 3: Expanding Influence
By the mid-1990s, figures like Ratan Tata joined the Ford Foundation’s board, signalling the increasing integration of US foundations with India’s business elite. This period marked a growing consolidation of American influence in India’s industrial and political sectors.
Recruits – 4: The Next Generation
From 1997 to 2004, individuals like Mallika Dutt and Neena Uppal joined the Ford Foundation’s initiatives. Their involvement in key sectors, including microfinance and women’s empowerment, further expanded the US foundation’s grip on India’s civil society landscape.
Recruits – 5: Shaping India’s Future
Between 2005 and 2010, figures like Vanita Mukherjee and Vasant Saberwal joined the Ford Foundation. These new recruits expanded US influence, particularly in sectors like education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability, creating a deep dependency on foreign funding.
The Academician: Vijay G Pande’s FORE
Vijay G Pande, a key figure in the Ford Foundation’s educational initiatives, co-founded the Foundation for Organisational Research and Education (FORE) in Delhi. His involvement with organisations like IRDC and ICRIER illustrates how US-funded institutes influenced India’s academic and economic policies.
Viji Srinivasan’s ADITHI
After retiring, Viji Srinivasan, a former Ford Foundation employee, founded ADITHI in Bihar. ADITHI, supported by Ford Foundation funds, continued the work of influencing India’s rural development in alignment with American interests.
Deep Joshi’s PRADAN
Deep Joshi, a key Ford Foundation recruit, co-founded PRADAN, an NGO focused on rural development. PRADAN’s close ties to Ford Foundation and USAID funded ventures like BASIX, a microfinance initiative, show how American foundations influenced India’s financial landscape.
USAID’s Support for BASIX
BASIX, founded by Vijay Mahajan, received substantial funding from USAID. Its subsidiary, Indian Grameen Services, also secured funding from USAID, demonstrating the US foundation’s direct influence on India’s microfinance sector, fueling the growth of international corporate interests.
The Urban Maoist: Pushpa Sundar’s Legacy
Pushpa Sundar, a significant Ford Foundation figure, was the mother of Nandini Sundar, a key urban Maoist figure. Sundar’s involvement in shaping narratives around India’s civil society and her ties to various international foundations highlight the extent of foreign influence in shaping India’s socio-political movements.
The Highflyer: Saroj Pachauri’s Impact
Saroj Pachauri’s work with global organisations like the MacArthur Foundation and Population Foundation of India reflects how US-backed initiatives shaped India’s policies on population control and healthcare. Her continued advisory roles in various US-funded initiatives show the ongoing influence of foreign entities in India.
The Teacher: Sudarshan Ramaswamy’s Academia
Sudarshan Ramaswamy’s position at OP Jindal University, which is heavily funded by US foundations, highlights the entanglement of Indian academic institutions with foreign agendas. Through partnerships with institutions like MIT, these foundations shape India’s future leaders and policymakers.
The Sober Man: Shekhar Shah’s World Bank Connections
Shekhar Shah’s career trajectory, from working with the World Bank to advising the National Council for Applied Economic Research, underscores the influence of US funding on Indian economic policy. His connection to the Ford Foundation further exemplifies how foreign foundations permeated India’s policy-making structures.
The Art Maker: Anmol Vellani’s Artistic Agenda
Anmol Vellani’s founding of the India Foundation for the Arts, funded by US institutions like the Rockefeller Foundation and Ford Foundation, highlights the role of art in shaping societal narratives. These foundations used culture and art to further their agenda and influence India’s cultural landscape.
The Famous One: Maja Daruwala’s Global Network
Maja Daruwala, daughter of Indian Army Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, played a key role in organisations funded by US interests like the NAMATI USA and CHRI India. Her leadership in these foundations illustrates the deep entanglement of India’s civil society with foreign-backed agendas.
The Art Dealer: Sharda Ramanathan’s Art Initiatives
Sharda Ramanathan’s involvement in the India Foundation for the Arts showcases the continuing influence of American foundations in India’s cultural sector. These initiatives further the cause of cultural diplomacy while promoting foreign interests within India.
The Founder: Mallika Dutt’s Breakthrough India
Mallika Dutt’s founding of Breakthrough India, an NGO funded by organisations like USAID and Ford Foundation, exemplifies how foreign-backed foundations create social enterprises that align with US geopolitical and ideological goals in India.
The Founder – 1: Indrani Goradia’s RAFT
Indrani Goradia’s RAFT, supported by entities like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID, demonstrates the role of foreign foundations in shaping social movements within India, especially those related to health and family welfare.
The Founder – 2: Breakthrough India’s Funding Sources
Breakthrough India, backed by USAID and the Skoll Foundation, is part of the extensive network of organisations funded by US foundations to shape India’s social policies. These organisations often promote narratives that align with US strategic interests.
The Advocate: Narayan Belbase’s Advocacy
Narayan Belbase’s establishment of the Forum for Protection of Public Interest in Nepal, funded by USAID and the National Democratic Institute, highlights the export of US agendas beyond India’s borders, promoting democratic reforms aligned with American interests in South Asia.
The Smart One: Roshmi Goswami’s Network
Roshmi Goswami’s involvement in the North East Network and her advisory roles in multiple US-funded initiatives underscore the continued influence of US foundations in shaping regional policies and social movements in India’s North East.
The Teacher: Vishnu Mohapatra’s Academic Contributions
Vishnu Mohapatra’s role in KREA University, with its ties to institutions funded by US organisations, underscores the growing collaboration between India’s educational sector and foreign foundations that shape India’s future leaders.
Ganeshan Balachander’s ATREE Role
Ganeshan Balachander’s work with ATREE, heavily funded by USAID, exemplifies the intersection of environmental activism with foreign funding, as US foundations seek to influence India’s ecological policies.
ATREE’s Foreign Backing
ATREE’s significant funding from USAID and its influential board members show how foreign institutions use environmental causes as a vehicle for promoting their geopolitical and economic agendas in India.
Vikas Saberwal’s Centre for Pastoralism
Vikas Saberwal’s Centre for Pastoralism, supported by US foundations like Ford and Azim Premji Foundation, reveals the increasing penetration of foreign-backed NGOs into India’s rural development sector, furthering their policy agendas.
DASRA’s Global Funding
DASRA, funded by powerful US foundations, including USAID and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, plays a significant role in India’s social and economic landscape, often pushing agendas that align with Western interests.
The Final Warning: A 75-Year Legacy
For the last 75 years, US foundations and agencies have woven themselves deeply into India’s political, educational, and economic fabric. It is essential for India to recognise and resist these foreign interventions to protect its sovereignty and future direction.
(The story is based on a thread by The Story Teller on X)
