Perhaps we should increase their aid

[life on mars]

Ye. It is why the Americans have always been so pathetic with Pakistan.

They are allies so let them do whatever the hell they want. It is buying influence.

You speculate to accumulate , there is a bigger picture,beyond the land, especially post Brexit

[Igovernor]

Perhaps someone could explain the statement by another poster, that how putting a man in space will benefit the population in India
and also how much of the money India gets for putting foreign satellites into orbit will benefit the people, just look at how much money they have spent on the man in space project and that was what was spent over 3 years ago, want to guess how much that figure is today?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...e-mission.html

[Kris]

Perhaps someone could explain the statement by another poster, that how putting a man in space will benefit the population in India
and also how much of the money India gets for putting foreign satellites into orbit will benefit the people, just look at how much money they have spent on the man in space project and that was what was spent over 3 years ago, want to guess how much that figure is today?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...e-mission.html

That's in my direction.

I didn't mention anything about putting a man into space.

Come back when you have read what I have posted, how the space program benefits India, and how the UK government is cutting aid to India to appease people like you. And, guess what, despite the UK reducing aid to India your tax payments for the coming year will be the same, or higher, than last year.

What is it about helping people that are less fortunate than you are that offends you so much?

[Igovernor]

For goodness sake, I am all for helping people less fortunate than myself, if fact I do, but my point is, why give money to a government that does not use it for the benefit of their unfortunate population, but spends on a space program to put men in space. I am all for the part of a space program that gets money in by putting foreign satellites in space, but do you think that that money is being spent to benefit the unfortunates in India?, I personally don't think so. One last point which is very relevant, the Indian government has stated on many occasions that they do not want our aid and they do not need it, but still we keep giving it to them ????

[Kris]

For goodness sake, I am all for helping people less fortunate than myself, if fact I do, but my point is, why give money to a government that does not use it for the benefit of their unfortunate population, but spends on a space program to put men in space. I am all for the part of a space program that gets money in by putting foreign satellites in space, but do you think that that money is being spent to benefit the unfortunates in India?, I personally don't think so. One last point which is very relevant, the Indian government has stated on many occasions that they do not want our aid and they do not need it, but still we keep giving it to them ????

OK, let's wind back a bit. The UK announced that they will not be giving any more aid to India.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-34398449

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/50388300.cms

Do you have any data/evidence that the money the UK was sending to India in aid was going directly to the space program, and was not being used to help the people?

Here is an article (2 years old, but I can't imagine things have changed that much) on how UK Aid is benefiting members of various communities.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...d-9691982.html

"Myth 3: We’ve been giving aid for years, it doesn’t work

In 20 years, the number of people living on less than £1 a day halved from 43% of the world's population in 1990, to 21% in 2010. Add that to the 10m boys and girls who went to school last year because of UK aid, as well as the 48 million children immunised from preventable diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea..."

"Myth 5: We give aid to wealthy countries

The two classics of these myths are China and India. In reality, the UK gave no aid to China last year, and in the case of India, the countries aid budget has fallen four-fold over the last four years, with the majority focusing on health and enabling Indian citizens to improve their rights to land and housing. Last year, the UK’s top priorities were Ethiopia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, where as many as 68% of the countries' populations live on less than a £1 a day"


How many men have India sent into space?

India's biggest problem is that many people work without paying any tax, because they are not "formally" employed. You're looking at the satellite program as dollars and pounds and rands. You're failing to acknowledge that the satellite program IS benefiting members of the country by improving communications, improving weather monitoring (in a place where weather kills many), improving agriculture and fishing (in a country where famine is too common).

You are correct, India has said they no longer want aid - but instead welcome foreign investment.

[Igovernor]

You have me convinced, lot more to it than what I read

[Croesy Blue]

For goodness sake, I am all for helping people less fortunate than myself, if fact I do, but my point is, why give money to a government that does not use it for the benefit of their unfortunate population, but spends on a space program to put men in space. I am all for the part of a space program that gets money in by putting foreign satellites in space, but do you think that that money is being spent to benefit the unfortunates in India?, I personally don't think so. One last point which is very relevant, the Indian government has stated on many occasions that they do not want our aid and they do not need it, but still we keep giving it to them ????

Why don't you ever read anything any one posts?

[Eric Cartman]

We are buying influence and trying to create a system that will make us wealthier in the long run not feeding the starving. We love a bit of short term thinking in this country.

[surge]

We are buying influence and trying to create a system that will make us wealthier in the long run not feeding the starving. We love a bit of short term thinking in this country.

You make it sound so calculated although I mostly agree. Not so long ago the UK came top in the polls for worldwide "soft power" which I'm sure is the only positive poll we would come top in. We seem to be determined to take steps back in this category but foreign aid will be part of it and I'm sure it does more good home and abroad than harm; although we may wish to try and ensure it's spent productively.