3 weeks ago
India spent Rs 557 crore on PM Modi's foreign trips
India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, travels to other countries to meet leaders and sign agreements.
When he travels, the government pays for things such as hotels, transport, security and meeting venues.
The government recently told Parliament how much it has spent on these trips since 2021: about 557 crore rupees.
Some members of Parliament asked how much the trips cost and what India got in return.
The year 2025 was the most expensive, with about 188 crore rupees spent.
So far in 2026, about 74 crore rupees has been spent, and the costliest trip was to Norway in May.
The government says these visits help India build partnerships in trade, technology, defence and energy.
It also says the trips helped India receive more than 381 billion US dollars in foreign investment and led to over 300 agreements.
One report puts the total slightly lower, at nearly 550 crore rupees, so the numbers are still being finalised.
The Union government spent about ₹557.5 crore on PM Modi's foreign trips since 2021, though one report puts the total at nearly ₹550 crore.
2025 was the highest-spending year at about ₹187.8 crore, covering visits to 23 countries including France, the US, China and the UK.
Spending in 2026 till July stood at about ₹74.5 crore, with the May Norway visit the costliest at ₹17.46 crore and France June figures still being compiled.
The data was released in a Rajya Sabha reply on August 6, 2026, after a query by MPs Sanjay Singh and V Sivadasan.
The MEA said 316 MoUs were signed during the visits since July 2021, and FDI of USD 381.8 billion was received between April 2021 and December 2025.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita; Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and V Sivadasan
- What
- Disclosure of year-wise and visit-wise expenditure on PM Modi's foreign trips — about ₹557.5 crore since 2021 — along with MoUs signed and FDI received
- Where
- India — Rajya Sabha, Parliament; trips spanned dozens of countries including the US, France, Norway, China, the UK and Russia
- When
- Since 2021; data released on Thursday, August 6, 2026, covering spending up to July 2026
- Why
- In response to Opposition MPs' questions about the cost of the prime minister's foreign visits and the foreign direct investment India received through commitments made during the trips
Opposition MPs
Government / MEA
Cost of foreign visits
Opposition MPs
Opposition MPs Sanjay Singh and V Sivadasan asked for country-wise, year-wise and visit-wise details of expenditure, questioning the scale of spending on the prime minister's trips since 2021.
Government / MEA
The MEA said high-level visits by the prime minister are established means of fostering closer relations with foreign countries and promoting India's engagements at bilateral, regional and global levels.
Value for money / FDI outcomes
Opposition MPs
MPs sought details of investment commitments announced and the actual foreign direct investment received in India as a result of the visits.
Government / MEA
The ministry said the visits facilitated partnerships across technology, innovation, trade, defence and energy, with USD 381.8 billion in FDI received between April 2021 and December 2025.
Transparency of expenditure details
Opposition MPs
One report notes the released data did not specify what the money was spent on, and that 'miscellaneous' expenses were not defined.
Government / MEA
The ministry released year-wise and visit-wise figures and earlier stated that the cost includes accommodation, transportation, security, hardware, venue charges and miscellaneous expenses.
Key facts
- Total expenditure since 2021
- ~₹557.5 crore (one report: nearly ₹550 crore)
- Highest-spending year
- 2025 — ~₹187.8 crore
- 2026 expenditure (till July)
- ~₹74.5 crore
- Costliest 2026 visit
- Norway (May) — ₹17.46 crore
- Costliest 2025 visit
- France — ₹25.60 crore (one article says US, Feb 2025, was costliest at over ₹25.5 crore)
- FDI received (Apr 2021–Dec 2025)
- USD 381.8 billion (~₹36.3 lakh crore)
- MoUs signed since July 2021
- 316
- Cost components
- Accommodation for PM's delegation, transportation, security, hardware, venue charges and undefined 'miscellaneous' expenses
Quotes
Ministry of External Affairs
Official spokesperson for India's foreign ministry
“High‑level visits by the Prime Minister are established means of fostering closer relations with foreign countries and promoting India’s engagements at bilateral, regional and global levels. These visits, and the understandings and agreements concluded therein, facilitate the strengthening of partnerships across a wide range of sectors, including technology, innovation, trade & investment, defence and energy cooperation, and resilient supply chains, among others.”
wionews.com
livemint.com
“The details of foreign visits undertaken by the Prime Minister since 2021 and total expenditure incurred on each foreign visit, year‑wise and visit‑wise are placed at Annexure‑I.”
livemint.com
Sources
PM Modi’s foreign visits since 2021 cost at least Rs 557 crore, full list here
PM Modi's foreign visits cost ₹74.59 crore in 2026 till July; 2025 recorded highest spending
Rs 557 crore spent on PM Modi’s foreign trips since 2021
PM Modi Visits Data Shared by MEA in Rajya Sabha — Here's How Many Countries He Visited Since 2021











