India has launched a spacecraft to study the sun (Image: Getty)

       The UK continues to provide millions of pounds of aid to India each year - even as the country launches a rocket to study the sun.

       In July, it was reported that Foreign. Commonwealth and Development Office figures showed ￡33.4 million was sent to the fast growing Asian economy in 2022/23.

       And this figure is now set to rise further to ￡57 million in 2024/25, according to the same report.

       On Saturday, India successfully launched its Aditya-L1 spacecraft, raising further questions about the amount of British money being spent in the country.

       The spacecraft will be placed into orbit at the Lagrange point 1 (L1) between the sun and the earth - where the gravitational forces of both bodies cancel each other out.

       India maintains a space programme despite receiving UK aid (Image: Getty)

       Read More: Taxpayers helping world's fifth biggest economy fly to moon,writes Jake Berry

       Following its four-month journey, Aditya-L1 will have a continuous view of the sun and study its surface.

       The programme has cost around 3.78bn rupees (￡36m) according to the Indian press.

       The Aditya-L1 launch follows a successful landing on the moon by the country’s Chandrayaan-3 craft.

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       It comes after India successfully launched a probe to the Moon (Image: Getty)

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       Speaking in July, following the reports aid was increasing to Delhi, John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: "The foreign aid debacle has been allowed to carry on for far too long.

       "Arbitrary spending targets have seen untold millions sent abroad to fund spurious projects in countries with larger economies than our own.

       "To create a fairer deal for taxpayers, ministers should scrap the target and make aid available when truly needed."

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