India Reports Prime Minister's Foreign Visits Cost 557 Crore Since 2021

Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita informed the Rajya Sabha that official foreign visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cost approximately 557.51 crore rupees between 2021 and July 2026. Annual spending rose steadily from 36.32 crore rupees in 2021 to a peak of 180.05 crore rupees in 2025, with 74.58 crore rupees spent through July 2026. The most expensive single trip in 2026 was a May visit to Norway, costing 17.46 crore rupees.

The Ministry of External Affairs reported that the Prime Minister visited 77 countries during this period, resulting in the signing of 316 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements. The government linked these diplomatic efforts to a total Foreign Direct Investment inflow of 381.8 billion USD between April 2021 and December 2025, describing the visits as essential for strengthening global engagements in defense, technology, and energy.

The data was provided in response to queries from Members of Parliament Sanjay Singh and V. Sivadasan. While the government defended the expenditures as a means of fostering closer relations, Dr. Sivadasan criticized the government's metrics for success. He argued that the value of these visits should be measured by tangible outcomes, such as job creation and project implementation, rather than the volume of MoUs signed.