The belief that the funds were ever going to be targeted to relieving poverty is unjustified. Not unreasonable, and not without some basis in need: The simple observation that the source of funds is not actually tasked with that goal, and the nature of state funding admits that money can (and will) be spent to goals other than those somebody, somewhere wants.

The exception to the rule is "hypothicated" taxes. In Australia, our medibank levy is fully hypothicated to funding public health, and cannot (by law) be used any other way.

TL;DR Indian poverty was never going to be alleviated by the money spent on this project. The money simply wouldn't have been applied to that purpose, had it not been spent on this mission.

second TL;DR The same can be said for any NASA or like activity.