₹258 crore spent on PM Modi’s 38 foreign visits since 2022, says Govt

The Indian government has disclosed that ₹258 crore was spent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 38 foreign visits between May 2022 and December 2024. The data was presented in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita in response to a query from Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.

Among the trips, PM Modi’s visit to the United States in June 2023 was the most expensive, costing ₹22.89 crore. His subsequent September 2024 visit to the U.S. incurred ₹15.33 crore. The expenditures include official travel, accompanying delegations, security, and media teams.

The report details foreign visits from May 2022, starting with Germany, to December 2024, ending with Kuwait. Significant expenditures included the ₹17.19 crore trip to Japan in May 2023, ₹14.36 crore visit to Italy in 2024, and ₹10.10 crore spent on a trip to Poland the same year. The most economical visit was Nepal in May 2022, costing ₹80 lakh.

Other destinations covered by the Prime Minister included Denmark, France, UAE, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Australia, Egypt, South Africa, Greece, Russia, Brazil, Ukraine, and Guyana. The government, however, did not provide a detailed breakdown of expenses under categories such as hotel arrangements, community receptions, and transport.

The response also shared some historical data for comparison, citing the costs of ₹10.74 crore for a U.S. visit in 2011, ₹9.95 crore for Russia in 2013, ₹8.33 crore for France in 2011, and ₹6.02 crore for Germany in 2013. However, these figures were not adjusted for inflation or currency fluctuations.

As political debates over government spending continue, the disclosure of such expenditures on foreign travel remains a topic of scrutiny and public discussion. The opposition has questioned the necessity of such high spending, while the government maintains that these visits are crucial for diplomatic engagement and international cooperation.