DIPLOMATIC DIVIDENDS: Official spending on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s overseas foreign visits since 2021 has crossed ₹557.50 crore, with ₹74.58 crore spent in 2026 so far. During the core period between April 2021 and December 2025, India attracted $381.8 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
At an average exchange rate of ₹83 per US dollar, the cumulative FDI inflow equals roughly ₹31.69 lakh crore.
The detailed figures were presented in a written response to the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, answering queries raised by Opposition Members of Parliament Sanjay Singh (AAP) and V. Sivadasan (CPI-M).
Year-by-Year Travel Spending (2021 – 2026)
DIPLOMATIC DIVIDENDS: Travel costs dipped during the COVID-19 pandemic before picking up rapidly as global physical summits resumed
| Year | Foreign Travel Expenditure | Key Engagements / Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ₹36.12 crore | Climate action at COP26, UN General Assembly, Quad Summit |
| 2022 | ₹55.83 crore | G20 handover, European partnerships, bilateral visits |
| 2023 | ₹93.63 crore | US State Visit, G7 Summit, Indo-Pacific outreach |
| 2024 | ₹109.51 crore | BRICS Summit, defence agreements, Global South dialogue |
| 2025 | ₹187.83 crore | Visits spanning 23 nations, including France, US, Brazil, China & UK |
| 2026 (Till Aug) | ₹74.58 crore (Provisional) | 6 trips covering 13 nations, including Norway, Sweden, Italy, Israel, Australia & New Zealand |
| TOTAL | ~₹557.50 crore | 77+ foreign visits undertaken since 2021 |
2026 Spending Insights
So far in 2026, the government has spent ₹74.58 crore across six major international tours.
Highest Single Leg (2026): The Norway leg of PM Modi’s five-nation European tour in May recorded the highest cost at ₹17.46 crore.
Recent Outreach: The 2026 figures also account for the Indo-Pacific tour to Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Pending Bills: The MEA noted that several figures for mid-2026, including the visit to France, remain provisional while final bills are being compiled.
316 MoUs & Long-Term Investment Impact
Beyond foreign capital inflows, the Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that 316 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed during PM Modi’s international trips since July 2021.
These bilateral agreements span strategic sectors:
Technology & AI: Semiconductor supply chain pacts and digital public infrastructure agreements.
Energy Transition: Green hydrogen and renewable energy cooperation with European and Latin American nations.
Defense & Aerospace: Critical technology transfers and defense manufacturing partnerships.
Fintech & Mobility: Cross-border payment expansions (UPI) and bilateral labor/mobility frameworks.
Parliamentary Debate: ROI vs Strategic Value
Opposition MPs raised questions about the direct economic return on delegation costs, asking for clear tracking linking specific visits to concrete FDI outcomes.
In response, the government emphasized that high-level leader-level visits build overall strategic confidence, establishing the long-term diplomatic groundwork required to secure foreign trade and steady capital inflows.
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