Over ₹557 crore spent on PM Modi's foreign visits since 2021; ₹74.59 crore spent in 2026 till July

he Centre has spent over ₹557 crore on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Tforeign visits since 2021, with ₹74.59 crore incurred on bilateral overseas engagements undertaken till July this year, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The details were shared in a written reply by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita in response to questions raised by AAP MP Sanjay Singh and CPI MP V. Sivadasan, who had sought year-wise and visit-wise expenditure on the Prime Minister's foreign tours since 2021.

₹74.59 crore spent this year

According to the MEA, the government spent ₹74,58,93,797 on the Prime Minister's bilateral visits between January and July 2026. During this period, Modi travelled to 13 countries — Malaysia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Italy, France, Slovakia, Seychelles, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. The ministry's data showed that the Norway visit in the second half of May was the costliest foreign engagement this year, with expenditure amounting to ₹17.46 crore. The Israel visit in February ranked second, costing ₹11.92 crore.

Total expenditure crosses ₹557 crore

The MEA said the cumulative expenditure on the Prime Minister's foreign visits from 2021 to July 2026 stood at ₹5,57,51,34,018.56 (approximately ₹557.51 crore). Among the visits during this period, the Prime Minister's France trip in February 2025 recorded the highest expenditure for a single visit at ₹25.59 crore, according to the official data. The ministry, however, did not provide any assessment linking expenditure to specific diplomatic or economic outcomes.

Government cites historical comparison

In its reply, the MEA also provided expenditure figures from select foreign visits undertaken during the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for comparison. According to the ministry, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the United States in 2011 cost ₹10.74 crore, while the Russia visit in 2013 cost ₹9.95 crore. The expenditure on the France visit in 2011 stood at ₹8.33 crore, while the Germany visit in 2013 cost ₹6.02 crore. The ministry clarified that these figures represented the actual expenditure at the time and had not been adjusted for inflation or currency fluctuations, making direct comparisons across different years difficult.

What the expenditure covers

Prime ministerial foreign visits typically include bilateral meetings with heads of government, participation in international summits, interactions with the Indian diaspora, state banquets, memorial visits and official ceremonial engagements. The Prime Minister travels aboard Air India One, the specially configured Boeing 777-300ER aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force. The delegation generally comprises officials from the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of External Affairs and other ministries, along with personnel from the Special Protection Group (SPG), which is responsible for the Prime Minister's security. The expenditure disclosed by the MEA broadly covers logistical arrangements, official delegations, accommodation, transportation and other costs associated with such diplomatic engagements.