Whirlwind Diplomacy: The Costs of Prime Minister Modi's International Visits

The Indian government disclosed that over Rs 22 crore was spent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in June 2023. Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, provided a detailed account of expenses for these visits in response to parliamentary questions, revealing costs spanning several official categories.

Over Rs 22 crore was spent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States in June 2023, according to official data released. The expenditure was revealed in a written statement by Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, responding to a query in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge had prompted the disclosure by questioning the total expenses incurred on arrangements for the Prime Minister's foreign trips over the past three years, seeking breakdowns across major expense categories like hotel arrangements, transport, and community receptions.

The shared data outlined expenditures for 38 visits, including expenses for security and media delegations, spanning from May 2022 to December 2024, and offered a comparative perspective with expenditure figures from 2011 to 2013, highlighting both inflation-adjusted and unadjusted costs.

(With inputs from agencies.)