The Union government has spent approximately ₹762 crore on overseas visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi between 2015 and 2025, according to information shared in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The disclosure came through a written reply placed before Parliament on Friday. The MEA provided year-wise details of expenditure on the Prime Minister’s foreign travel, along with information about accompanying delegations. The figures show notable variation across the decade, shaped by global developments and India’s expanding diplomatic engagements.
Spending came to a complete halt in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as international travel was suspended worldwide. Foreign visits resumed gradually in 2021 and picked up pace in subsequent years. From 2024 onward, annual expenditure crossed ₹100 crore. The spending peaked in 2025 at over ₹175 crore, coinciding with several long-haul, multi-nation tours covering Europe, the Americas, Africa and East Asia.
Officials explained that the Prime Minister is treated as a state guest during foreign visits. The host country bears substantial hospitality expenses, including local arrangements and protocol. India’s expenditure primarily covers costs related to the official delegation, security arrangements, media contingent, aircraft operations and logistical support.
The size of the Prime Minister’s delegation has generally ranged between 27 and 72 members since May 2014, depending on the nature of the visit. In one five-country tour undertaken in 2025, as many as 95 officials were part of the delegation, reflecting the scale of diplomatic and strategic engagements involved.
The government also provided reference figures from previous Prime Ministerial visits prior to 2014. It stated that a visit to the United States in 2011 cost ₹10.74 crore, Russia in 2013 cost ₹9.95 crore, France in 2011 cost ₹8.33 crore, and Germany in 2013 cost ₹6.02 crore. These amounts were presented without adjusting for inflation or currency fluctuations.
According to officials, the overall expenditure depends largely on the number of countries covered in a single tour, travel distance, security protocols and the size of the accompanying delegation. Multi-nation tours and long-haul flights significantly raise operational costs.
The rise in spending after the pandemic reflects the intensification of bilateral meetings, multilateral summits and trade engagements as global diplomacy returned to normal pace. The government maintains that such visits play a key role in strengthening strategic partnerships, boosting trade opportunities and enhancing India’s global standing.
Over a decade, the ₹762 crore figure represents the cumulative logistical and operational cost of India’s highest-level diplomatic outreach. The debate over expenditure continues in political circles, but officials insist that overseas engagements remain central to India’s foreign policy objectives and international presence.