The Ministry of External Affairs disclosed that the government has spent approximately Rs 74.5 crore on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign trips this year. This information was provided in a written response during a session of the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The announcement followed inquiries from MPs Sanjay Singh and Dr V Sivadasan, who requested a breakdown of the Prime Minister’s foreign visits since 2021.

The officials were specifically tasked with delivering country-wise data regarding the travel, detailed expenditure figures for each visit, and insights into bilateral agreements and investment commitments that had been established. Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, confirmed that additional details were included in two annexures attached to the official reply.

Comparison with Past Prime Ministerial Trips

The Ministry referenced expenditure from previous Prime Ministers to provide context to the current figures. For instance, the cost of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to the United States in 2011 amounted to Rs 10.74 crore. Furthermore, the expenses for his trip to Russia in 2013 were reported at Rs 9.96 crore; a journey to France in 2011 cost Rs 8.33 crore, and a visit to Germany in 2013 came to Rs 6.02 crore. Each of these trips exceeded the total expense incurred for Prime Minister Modi’s foreign travel this year.

It is significant to note that the expenses mentioned are actual costs and have not been modified to account for inflation or changes in currency value. The contrasting figures highlight a difference in travel costs across different administrations.

Foreign Direct Investment Figures Reported

In addition to travel expenses, the government reported a substantial inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), amounting to USD 381.8 billion between April 2021 and December 2025. While presenting these figures, the Ministry of External Affairs insisted that high-level visits by the Prime Minister play a crucial role in enhancing bilateral, regional, and global partnerships.

Agreements reached during such international visits have reportedly facilitated deeper cooperation across various sectors, including technology, innovation, trade and investment, defence, energy collaboration, and supply chain resilience. However, the government did not delineate the portion of the USD 381.8 billion FDI that could be directly associated with any specific visit or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The Ministry emphasised that these figures represent the overall FDI received during the specified period rather than directly attributing them to particular initiatives resulting from the Prime Minister’s travels.

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