New Delhi: The Central government revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 38 foreign visits between May 2022 and December 2024 cost the exchequer nearly ₹258 crore, with the most expensive trip being his June 2023 visit to the United States, which incurred an expenditure of over ₹22 crore. 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.
Kharge had sought details on the total expenditure incurred by Indian embassies on PM Modi’s foreign visits over the past three years, including costs for accommodation, transport, security, and community receptions. According to the government’s response, another high-cost visit was Modi’s trip to Japan in May 2023, which cost ₹17.19 crore, while his September 2024 visit to the U.S. cost ₹15.33 crore.
The list of countries visited by the Prime Minister includes Germany, Kuwait, Denmark, France, UAE, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Australia, Egypt, South Africa, Greece, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Brazil, and Guyana. Among these, some notable expenditures were:
- Poland: ₹10.10 crore
- Ukraine: ₹2.52 crore
- Russia: ₹5.34 crore
- Italy: ₹14.36 crore
- Brazil: ₹5.51 crore
- Guyana: ₹5.45 crore
For comparison, the minister also provided data on foreign visits made by former Prime Ministers before 2014. The UPA-era figures included ₹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.
