Quizzes & Puzzles6 mins ago
Why are we paying india money?
They have their own space program, more Billionaires than anyone, they even have their own aid program, so F.F.S can someone tell me why we are giving aid to india when clearly they don't need it? Is there any truth in the old statement that aid is taking money from poor people in rich countries and giving to to rich people in poor countries
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No best answer has yet been selected by R1Geezer. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Be careful Geezer – I brought this up a few months ago and had to endure barrage of abuse by a couple of posters who asked me if I'd ever been to India and seen with my own eyes the poverty (which I have).
What makes a mockery of our aid to India policy is that India itself gives foreign aid to countries that it considers deserving.
India is a rich country and as such, it doesn't need foreign aid in the form of UK Government hand-outs. The reason so many of its citizens are so desperately poor is that the Indian Government is spectacularly bad at distributing its wealth. The reasons for this are many and varied but the ludicrous 'caste' system is certainly a part of the problem.
What makes a mockery of our aid to India policy is that India itself gives foreign aid to countries that it considers deserving.
India is a rich country and as such, it doesn't need foreign aid in the form of UK Government hand-outs. The reason so many of its citizens are so desperately poor is that the Indian Government is spectacularly bad at distributing its wealth. The reasons for this are many and varied but the ludicrous 'caste' system is certainly a part of the problem.
I always wonder – when one country gives another country 'aid' in the form of money, what guarantees does the doner country get that the money will be used for 'good causes'? I would have thought that once the money has been received into the coffers of the country in question, that money will simply be sliced up and syphoned off in to whatever area the recipient country deems fit.
What's to stop UK donated 'aid' from ending up in a foreign country's space programme?
What's to stop UK donated 'aid' from ending up in a foreign country's space programme?
I agree with birdie. There are a lot of rich people in India. There are a lot of desperately poor people in India as anyone who has been there will testify. Just because India has nuclear capability or own car manufacturing companies that doesn`t make them a rich country as far as the people are concerned. Ummm - there is no comparison between poverty in Thailand and India. One day India will be a well-off country but that day is many, many decades away.
Do we give 'aid' to countries who can provide us with intelligence that will help reduce the risk of harm coming to UK citizens? Is it as simple as that? Is it effectively a protection racket? Is this why India gives as well as receives?
India: Hello UK. My, my, your country looks a bit flammable. Be a shame if it all went up...
UK: Okay, how much?
India: Not much. Not much at all. Just a few million should do it.
UK: Fine. Take it. Now leave me alone.
Afghanistan: Hello India. My, my, your country looks a bit brittle. Be a shame it smashed...
India: Okay, how much?
Afghanistan: Not much. Not much at all. Just a few million should do it.
India: Fine. Take it. Now leave me alone.
etc.
India: Hello UK. My, my, your country looks a bit flammable. Be a shame if it all went up...
UK: Okay, how much?
India: Not much. Not much at all. Just a few million should do it.
UK: Fine. Take it. Now leave me alone.
Afghanistan: Hello India. My, my, your country looks a bit brittle. Be a shame it smashed...
India: Okay, how much?
Afghanistan: Not much. Not much at all. Just a few million should do it.
India: Fine. Take it. Now leave me alone.
etc.
I agree with the basic sentiment - that it is ludicrous that we are providing millions, if not billions, to countries such as India and Pakistan - both countries that choose to spend a great deal of their own GDP on Defence, Space Programmes and other high maintenance, high profile schemes designed more to enhance the pride of the leaders of the countries involved.
When we talk about Aid money, it should be sent to people who are genuinely in need, countries that genuinely need help.
Thing is, our Aid budget is linked very closely with the political and commercial aims of the UK, as Tony has alluded to. I was listening to a radio interview with an ex- senior civil servant who had worked for many years within the Overseas Development / Aid department. He was suggesting that we only committed funds to programmes that would benefit the UK commercial interests and gave as an example a hospital building programme within India - conditional upon acceptance of the money was that India would buy exclusively from British suppliers when constructing and furnishing the hospitals, and that for every billion we spent in such Aid programmes, the UK got 2 billion back. Not sure if that is right or not, but I can only imagine that the UK is expecting some political or commercial benefit from providing the money.......
When we talk about Aid money, it should be sent to people who are genuinely in need, countries that genuinely need help.
Thing is, our Aid budget is linked very closely with the political and commercial aims of the UK, as Tony has alluded to. I was listening to a radio interview with an ex- senior civil servant who had worked for many years within the Overseas Development / Aid department. He was suggesting that we only committed funds to programmes that would benefit the UK commercial interests and gave as an example a hospital building programme within India - conditional upon acceptance of the money was that India would buy exclusively from British suppliers when constructing and furnishing the hospitals, and that for every billion we spent in such Aid programmes, the UK got 2 billion back. Not sure if that is right or not, but I can only imagine that the UK is expecting some political or commercial benefit from providing the money.......
I am sure that when we give aid we make sure we get "something" in return.
That "something" might be trade deals, or it might be "spying" information, or it might be that we can use their ports or airfields for our military use, or just "political friendship".
I am siure there is a lot of politics behind all this.
Lets face it, if we (the West) did not give money to Pakistan then Russia or China might (the East), and then Pakistan is more likely to do deals with them rather than us.
I am sure this is a very complex situation and one where lots of behind closed doors discussion takes place.
That "something" might be trade deals, or it might be "spying" information, or it might be that we can use their ports or airfields for our military use, or just "political friendship".
I am siure there is a lot of politics behind all this.
Lets face it, if we (the West) did not give money to Pakistan then Russia or China might (the East), and then Pakistan is more likely to do deals with them rather than us.
I am sure this is a very complex situation and one where lots of behind closed doors discussion takes place.
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