UK aid worth nearly £2.3 billion to India sparks heated debate amid Chandrayaan-3 triumph

In a surprising turn of events, the recent success of India's Chandrayaan-3 mission to the Moon's south pole has sparked a heated debate over foreign aid between the UK and India. Journalist Sophie Corcoran's social media post and news presenter Patrick Christys' statements have ignited a contentious discussion, drawing attention from around the world.

Corcoran, in a post on the platform X (formerly known as Twitter), argued that the UK should reconsider its aid to India in light of India's advanced space program. She suggested that it was time for the UK to recoup its investments.

Christys, a presenter for GB News, took this a step further, calling for India to return the £2.3 billion in foreign aid provided by Britain between 2016 and 2021. He also hinted at the £57 million pounds earmarked for India in the upcoming year.



Christys remarked, “I would like to congratulate India for landing on the dark side of the Moon. I would also like to now invite India to return the £2.3 billion of foreign aid money that we sent them between 2016 and 2021. We are also set to give them £57 million pounds next year and I think the British taxpayer should keep hold of that, don’t you? We should not be giving money to countries with a space programme. As a rule, if you can afford to fire a rocket to the dark side of the Moon, you shouldn’t be coming to us with your hand out.”

These comments unleashed a wave of reactions from Indian X users who vehemently rejected the demand. Some took a historical perspective, calling for the return of the Kohinoor diamond and the massive sums of money Britain once extracted from India during its colonial rule.

The debate took an intriguing turn when users cited a report published by Columbia University Press, authored by economist Utsa Patnaik. The report, part of a collection of essays, revealed that the East India Company and the British Raj had extracted a staggering £9.2 trillion (equivalent to $44.6 trillion) from India between 1765 and 1938. This eye-popping figure became a focal point in the debate as X users humorously suggested that if the UK sought returns, they should consider repaying the estimated $45 trillion amassed during India's colonial rule.

In an unexpected twist, amidst the celebration of Chandrayaan-3's success, the phrase '45 Trillion' gained traction on social media, encapsulating the spirited exchange between the UK and India over foreign aid and historical debts.