From Rs 36 crore to Rs 180 crore: PM Modi's foreign travel bill jumps 5x since 2021
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs reported that the annual expenditure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits has risen from Rs 36 crore in 2021 to over Rs 180 crore in 2025. The government defends these costs by citing the signing of hundreds of international agreements and significant foreign direct investment inflows.
Why it matters
The data provides transparency regarding government spending on diplomacy and its correlation with economic and strategic international partnerships.
NEW DELHI: The expenditure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits has increased fivefold since 2021, with the annual bill rising from over Rs 36 crore in 2021 to more than Rs 180 crore in 2025, ministry of external affairs informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday.In a written reply, minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita said the cumulative expenditure on the prime minister's overseas visits since 2021 has crossed Rs 550 crore.So far in 2026, expenditure has reached over Rs 74.58 crore, although some figures remain provisional and the cost of the France visit in June is yet to be finalised.Among the visits for which expenditure has been compiled this year, the Norway leg of the prime minister's five-nation tour in May accounted for…
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