India And Covid - Foreign Aid

[Apc2604]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-56881083

https://www.thehindu.com/business/budget/budget-2020-spending-on-space-goes-up-by-8/article30715438.ece

I find this totally abhorrent. I am not suggesting we don't help, but surely this is complete madness.

[archibaldy]

Even though COVID is a big issue governments around the world still have budgets for other things.

The aid being sent as far as I can tell is in the form of oxygen and materials to help fight COVID not cash.

[douglas9401]

The point being that a country buckling under the weight of a health emergency while literally swimming in its own waste has no business reaching for the stars.

It's an utter obscenity and no amount of puffed up outrage from right-on advocates for advancement will change that fact.

Fix the basics then you can go out and play.

[jourdain2]

I agree with both previous posters - odd. India should change its priorities, definitely (douglas) but they are unprepared, people are dying and they need help - so I agree very much with sending practical help. Pressure should later be brought to bear to ensure that India changes its priorities - perhaps we could gradually reduce our aid?

[Atheist]

I'm afraid we are all in this together, this is a global affair. If India or Brasil or the USA is full of covid, then the rest of the world will follow. If we let them stew in their own juice, then we will suffer.

[Khandro]

Of course we've got to help as much as we can, how can you suggest otherwise?

[gulliver1]

21.45, agree with Atheist we are all in this together. lets help India all we can.

[Canary42]

Indian Billionaires are fleeing the country by private aircraft, thereby spreading the virus. As already stated, it's a World problem so no time for Nationalism.

[Apc2604]

Where did I suggest we shouldn't help Khandro? In fact I clearly said I wasn't suggesting that. What is abhorrent and madness is what has been allowed to happen by a country who's Government has totally failed the people and spends billions on a space programme.

[Apc2604]

Thank you Douglas for understanding.

[gulliver1]

Seems to me that the O/P is against the Uk giving help to a country that is in a desperate situation.

[royfromaus]

There's a reason for that, gulliver.

[Apc2604]

Gulliver, Your contributions to this site really shows you haven't the ability to think.

[royfromaus]

And there's ^ the reason.

[emmie]

by all means send them the Oxygen they so need, but they should have sorted out their mess in other areas, if they can afford a space programme then they can help the people through this dreadful time, i do feel sorry for them in this pandemic.

[Khandro]

Apc; Anyone saying, "a country who's Government has totally failed the people" has clearly never been in India. The government does have faults, but trying to contain a pandemic within so populous & crowded country with many millions largely illiterate, is a problem of unimaginable dimensions, quite unlike China, which has a complete authoritarian hold over its population, who do exactly what they are told or suffer the consequences.

also: India's space programme began long before covid & is irrelevant to this matter.

[youngmafbog]

There are a couple of things bothering me on this.

Firstly the gross misrepresentation of facts by the media. India has a population of around 1.4 Bn, around 23 times that of the UK. UK total deaths to date are cira 127k (as reported) deaths in India are circa 195k. To be worse than us they would need exceed 2.5M. At the height of the last 'wave' there were 1,823 a day, to 'beat' that India would have to have 36460 a day. Currently they have circa 2,800.

The next problem I have is the 'space' and nuclear programs. Yes its wrong but that was yesterday and they could not have foreseen the problems of today. India has terrible communication and infrastructure outside of the main cities. Even if they had spent the space money on it then there would barely be a difference.

India also has a major problem with social status. It has the third largest number of billionaires but also has million in real poverty(as opposed to perceived poverty of the UK). Due to cultural differences this money will not flow from one to the other.

All said though, I think if we can help then we should. This is exactly what foreign aid budget should be spent on. Instead of a % of GDP spent each year I would prefer a fund to be built up and used for this sort of humanitarian aid. No cash given out just help as and when justified.

[ToraToraTora]

give yourself BA at 22:50! bang on!

[ToraToraTora]

Douglas, BA, spot on an unusual but welcome bout of common sense.

[Khandro]

TTT//Douglas, BA, spot on an unusual but welcome bout of common sense.//

I don't want to tarnish Douglas' glory, but I must challenge his assertions, and your appraisal of them that you must, "Fix the basics then you can go out and play." and India that "has no business reaching for the stars".

A space programme isn't about looking for 'little green men on Mars'.
If India or any underdeveloped country is to "fix the basics" i.e. education, health, infrastructure, defence etc. & it cannot do this without a good network of communications & information technology, & the only way to have this in the modern world is through the use of satellites & the only way to have them is by having a space programme in order get them up there.

So I'm sorry, but the BA is in my opinion, specious.