NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits between 2021 and July 2025 might have strengthened India’s bilateral ties with the host nations, but they have also incurred a cost of nearly Rs 300 crore to the exchequer. That includes Rs 67 crore spent on his five foreign visits in February, March and April this year to the United States, France, Mauritius, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry of External Affairs, in a written reply to the questions of TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, has shared the details of expenditures. The data reveal that Modi visited France and the United States between February 10 and 13, for which the expenses totalled Rs 25,59,82,902 for the French visit and Rs 16,54,84,302 for the US visit, respectively.
His visits to Thailand and Sri Lanka from April 3 to 6 cost over Rs 9 crore (`4,92,81,208 in Thailand and Rs 4,46,21,690 in Sri Lanka). He went to Saudi Arabia from April 22 to 23, during which Rs 15,54,03,792.47 was incurred. The PM also visited Mauritius(March 11-12), Cyprus, Canada and Croatia (July 15-19) and Ghana, Trinidad &Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia (July 2-9), but the expenditures have not been shared as the bills are still under settlement.
In 2024, the PM visited the UAE and Qatar (February 13-15), during which the exchequer spent Rs 3,14,30,607 (Qatar), while on his next visit to Bhutan (March 22-23), Rs 4,50,27,271 was spent. An amount of Rs 14,36,55,289 was spent on his visit to Italy (June 13-14). His visits to Austria and Russia from July 8 to 10 cost Rs 4,35,35,765 and Rs 5,34,71,726, respectively.
The MEA shared that the government spent the following on two visits between August 21 and 23, 2024: Poland (Rs 10,10,18,686) and Ukraine (Rs 2,52,01,169). The Centre spent Rs 5,0247,410 on his Brunei visit and Rs 7,75,21,329 in Singapore between September 3 and 5.
The Centre also spent Rs 15,33,76,348 on the USA visit from September 21 to 23, and Rs 3,00,73,096 on the visit to Lao DPR during October 10-11, and Rs 10,74,99,171 for the Russia visit on October 22-23.
The PM’s visits to Nigeria, Brazil, and Guyana from November 16-21, 2024, cost Rs 4,46,09,640 in Nigeria, Rs 5,51,86,592 in Brazil, and Rs 5,45,91,495 in Guyana, respectively. On his Kuwait visit from December 22-22, the government spent Rs 2, 54, 59,263 crore.
PM Modi made six visits to 11 countries in 2023, from May 19 to December 1, 2023. The expenses are: Japan (Rs 17,19,33,365), Australia (Rs 6,06,92,057), the US (Rs 22,89,68,509), France (Rs 13,74,81,530), South Africa (Rs 6,11,37,355), and the UAE (Rs 4,28,88,197).