Statistics released by Whitehall showed that development grants to the fast-growing Asian giant rose to £279million in 2014 from £268million the previous year.
And the hand-outs increased despite a pledge by ministers in 2012 to end the aid programme to India by this December because of the country’s wealth.
The figures from the Department for International Development also showed that Britain’s total foreign aid budget reached an eye-watering £11.7billion last year.
Without fanfare, the data was quietly published on the department’s website yesterday while attention at Westminster was focused on the decision by MPs to back sending RAF jets to bomb terrorist targets in Syria.
Ministers have repeatedly been criticised for giving taxpayers’ cash to India given that the country has a space programme and nuclear weapons as well has having one of the fastest-growing economies in the world in recent years.
Critics said the amount of British taxpayers’ money given to India should be falling during the final years of the aid programme rather than rising.
