The Union government spent around ₹74.59 crore on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits between February and July 2026, according to details shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (August 06).&nbsp;The expenditure covered official visits to countries including Malaysia, Israel, the UAE, Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand and several others.&nbsp;In a written reply, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said the government has also placed on record the year-wise and visit-wise expenditure incurred on the Prime Minister's overseas visits since 2021.<h2>2026 expenditure at ₹74.59 crore so far</h2>The MEA said the total spending on the Prime Minister's foreign visits in 2026 stood at about ₹74.59 crore till July. The amount includes visits undertaken between February and July this year.&nbsp;Among the major expenditures, the Norway visit cost ₹17.46 crore, followed by Israel at ₹11.92 crore, Seychelles at ₹8.22 crore, Sweden at ₹6.33 crore, Malaysia at ₹5.57 crore and New Zealand at ₹5.44 crore.&nbsp;The government said the expenditure for some visits, including those to France and several countries covered during the May tour, remains provisional and will be finalised after all bills are settled.<h2>2025 recorded the highest annual expenditure</h2>The data showed that 2025 recorded the highest spending on the Prime Minister's foreign visits during the period covered in the reply, with total expenditure of around ₹187.83 crore.&nbsp;During the year, Modi visited France, the US, Mauritius, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Canada, Croatia, Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, Namibia, the UK, Maldives, China, Japan, Bhutan, South Africa, Jordan, Oman and Ethiopia.&nbsp;Among the highest expenditures, the France visit cost ₹25.60 crore, followed by Brazil at ₹17.72 crore, the US at ₹16.55 crore, Saudi Arabia at ₹15.54 crore, China at ₹10.60 crore and the UK at ₹9.92 crore.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-denies-us-missile-stockpile-shortage-warns-leakers-of-prosecution-and-jail-1786013306970">Trump denies US missile stockpile shortage, warns leakers of prosecution and jail</a><h2>2024 foreign visit expenditure crossed ₹109 crore</h2>The government spent about ₹109.51 crore on the Prime Minister's overseas visits in 2024.During the year, Modi travelled to the UAE, Qatar, Bhutan, Italy, Russia, Austria, Poland, Ukraine, Brunei, Singapore, the US, Laos, Nigeria, Brazil, Guyana and Kuwait.&nbsp;The US visit cost ₹15.34 crore, while the Italy visit amounted to ₹14.37 crore. The October visit to Russia cost ₹10.75 crore, followed by Poland at ₹10.10 crore and Singapore at ₹7.75 crore.<h2>Visits aim to foster closer ties&nbsp;</h2>"High-level visits by the Prime Minister are established means of fostering closer relations with foreign countries and promoting India’s engagements at bilateral, regional and global levels. These visits, and the understandings and agreements concluded therein, facilitate the strengthening of partnerships across a wide range of sectors, including technology, innovation, trade &amp; investment, defence and energy cooperation, and resilient supply chains, among others," the MEA said

The Centre spent ₹74.59 crore on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits till July 2026, while 2025 recorded the highest annual expenditure, the government informed the Rajya Sabha.

The Union government spent around ₹74.59 crore on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits between February and July 2026, according to details shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (August 06). The expenditure covered official visits to countries including Malaysia, Israel, the UAE, Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand and several others. In a written reply, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said the government has also placed on record the year-wise and visit-wise expenditure incurred on the Prime Minister's overseas visits since 2021. 2026 expenditure at ₹74.59 crore so far The MEA said the total spending on the Prime Minister's foreign visits in 2026 stood at about ₹74.59 crore till July. The amount includes visits undertaken between February and July this year. Among the major expenditures, the Norway visit cost ₹17.46 crore, followed by Israel at ₹11.92 crore, Seychelles at ₹8.22 crore, Sweden at ₹6.33 crore, Malaysia at ₹5.57 crore and New Zealand at ₹5.44 crore. The government said the expenditure for some visits, including those to France and several countries covered during the May tour, remains provisional and will be finalised after all bills are settled. 2025 recorded the highest annual expenditure The data showed that 2025 recorded the highest spending on the Prime Minister's foreign visits during the period covered in the reply, with total expenditure of around ₹187.83 crore. During the year, Modi visited France, the US, Mauritius, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Canada, Croatia, Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, Namibia, the UK, Maldives, China, Japan, Bhutan, South Africa, Jordan, Oman and Ethiopia. Among the highest expenditures, the France visit cost ₹25.60 crore, followed by Brazil at ₹17.72 crore, the US at ₹16.55 crore, Saudi Arabia at ₹15.54 crore, China at ₹10.60 crore and the UK at ₹9.92 crore. Also Read: Trump denies US missile stockpile shortage, warns leakers of prosecution and jail 2024 foreign visit expenditure crossed ₹109 crore The government spent about ₹109.51 crore on the Prime Minister's overseas visits in 2024. During the year, Modi travelled to the UAE, Qatar, Bhutan, Italy, Russia, Austria, Poland, Ukraine, Brunei, Singapore, the US, Laos, Nigeria, Brazil, Guyana and Kuwait. The US visit cost ₹15.34 crore, while the Italy visit amounted to ₹14.37 crore. The October visit to Russia cost ₹10.75 crore, followed by Poland at ₹10.10 crore and Singapore at ₹7.75 crore. Visits aim to foster closer ties "High-level visits by the Prime Minister are established means of fostering closer relations with foreign countries and promoting India’s engagements at bilateral, regional and global levels. These visits, and the understandings and agreements concluded therein, facilitate the strengthening of partnerships across a wide range of sectors, including technology, innovation, trade & investment, defence and energy cooperation, and resilient supply chains, among others," the MEA said

The Centre spent ₹74.59 crore on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits till July 2026, while 2025 recorded the highest annual expenditure, the government informed the Rajya Sabha.

PM Modi's foreign visits cost ₹74.59 crore in 2026 till July; 2025 recorded highest spending

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) data provided in Parliament revealed that over the last three years, 1,340 Indian citizens died by suicide in Gulf countries. Of these, 511 cases were found in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), followed by Saudi Arabia (354), Kuwait (162), Oman (146), Bahrain (101) and Qatar (66). The Ministry has found in its report that between 2023 and 2025, more than 1,900 Indians living abroad died by suicide. Over 70 per cent of these cases took place in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), with Malaysia (131) and the United States (62) following, and Italy, Canada and the United Kingdom recording over 30 cases each in the three years. Roughly one crore Indian citizens and people of Indian origin currently reside in Gulf countries. These figures were shared by Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, during the ongoing Parliament session in the Lok Sabha, in response to a query raised by Congress MPs Satpal Brahamchari and Jai Prakash regarding the "review of death of Indian citizens abroad."&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-to-present-trump-with-fresh-intel-on-iran-s-secret-pickaxe-mountain-nuclear-site-report-1785198683332">Netanyahu to present Trump with fresh intel on Iran's SECRET 'Pickaxe Mountain' nuclear site: Report</a><h2>Uptick of average suicide rate</h2>Compared to previously released figures, the average rate of suicide among Indian citizens abroad appears to have risen. The MEA reported in 2022 that 4,005 such deaths occurred between 2014 and 2022. While no specific explanation was offered for the uptick, the minister noted that the government has implemented “several measures and steps such as Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojna (PBBY) have been taken by the Government of India to ensure the well-being and protection of Indian workers overseas”. “The PBBY is a mandatory insurance scheme for all Emigration Check Required (ECR) category workers going to ECR countries,” Singh said. The scheme comes with an insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh in case of accidental death or permanent disability along with other benefits at a nominal insurance premium of Rs 275 for two years or Rs 375 for three years. As per the latest data released by the government also revealed that the deaths of Indian citizens are due to natural causes, workplace accidents, suicide, crime and other reasons.<h3>What is killing Indians abroad?</h3>The MEA data covering 2023-25 indicates that natural causes remain the leading reason behind the deaths of Indians in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, with Saudi Arabia recording 6,376 such deaths, followed closely by the UAE at 5,702, Kuwait at 1,672, Oman at 1,092, Qatar at 783, and Bahrain at 703. Workplace accidents also emerged as a significant cause of fatalities, particularly in Saudi Arabia (182 cases) and the UAE (128 cases), reflecting the large number of Indian workers employed in labour-intensive sectors such as construction across these countries. Kuwait recorded 62 workplace accident deaths, while Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain reported 38, 23, and 10 cases respectively. On suicides, the UAE reported the highest number among all GCC nations at 511 cases, even surpassing Saudi Arabia, which recorded 354 despite having a higher overall death toll. Kuwait recorded 162 suicide cases, followed by Oman (146), Bahrain (101), and Qatar (66). Crime-related deaths remained comparatively low across the region, with Saudi Arabia recording the highest at 29 cases, followed by Kuwait (10), Bahrain (2), and both Oman and Qatar reporting zero crime-related fatalities during the period. Meanwhile, deaths attributed to "other reasons", a category encompassing causes outside the four specified, were notably high in the UAE (1,092) and Saudi Arabia (1,040), followed by Kuwait (285), Oman (222), Qatar (102), and Bahrain (43).

Over 70 per cent of these cases occurred in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), followed by Malaysia (131) and the United States (62), while Italy, Canada and the United Kingdom each recorded over 30 cases during the three years.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) data provided in Parliament revealed that over the last three years, 1,340 Indian citizens died by suicide in Gulf countries. Of these, 511 cases were found in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), followed by Saudi Arabia (354), Kuwait (162), Oman (146), Bahrain (101) and Qatar (66). The Ministry has found in its report that between 2023 and 2025, more than 1,900 Indians living abroad died by suicide. Over 70 per cent of these cases took place in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), with Malaysia (131) and the United States (62) following, and Italy, Canada and the United Kingdom recording over 30 cases each in the three years. Roughly one crore Indian citizens and people of Indian origin currently reside in Gulf countries. These figures were shared by Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, during the ongoing Parliament session in the Lok Sabha, in response to a query raised by Congress MPs Satpal Brahamchari and Jai Prakash regarding the "review of death of Indian citizens abroad." Also read: Netanyahu to present Trump with fresh intel on Iran's SECRET 'Pickaxe Mountain' nuclear site: Report Uptick of average suicide rate Compared to previously released figures, the average rate of suicide among Indian citizens abroad appears to have risen. The MEA reported in 2022 that 4,005 such deaths occurred between 2014 and 2022. While no specific explanation was offered for the uptick, the minister noted that the government has implemented “several measures and steps such as Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojna (PBBY) have been taken by the Government of India to ensure the well-being and protection of Indian workers overseas”. “The PBBY is a mandatory insurance scheme for all Emigration Check Required (ECR) category workers going to ECR countries,” Singh said. The scheme comes with an insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh in case of accidental death or permanent disability along with other benefits at a nominal insurance premium of Rs 275 for two years or Rs 375 for three years. As per the latest data released by the government also revealed that the deaths of Indian citizens are due to natural causes, workplace accidents, suicide, crime and other reasons. What is killing Indians abroad? The MEA data covering 2023-25 indicates that natural causes remain the leading reason behind the deaths of Indians in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, with Saudi Arabia recording 6,376 such deaths, followed closely by the UAE at 5,702, Kuwait at 1,672, Oman at 1,092, Qatar at 783, and Bahrain at 703. Workplace accidents also emerged as a significant cause of fatalities, particularly in Saudi Arabia (182 cases) and the UAE (128 cases), reflecting the large number of Indian workers employed in labour-intensive sectors such as construction across these countries. Kuwait recorded 62 workplace accident deaths, while Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain reported 38, 23, and 10 cases respectively. On suicides, the UAE reported the highest number among all GCC nations at 511 cases, even surpassing Saudi Arabia, which recorded 354 despite having a higher overall death toll. Kuwait recorded 162 suicide cases, followed by Oman (146), Bahrain (101), and Qatar (66). Crime-related deaths remained comparatively low across the region, with Saudi Arabia recording the highest at 29 cases, followed by Kuwait (10), Bahrain (2), and both Oman and Qatar reporting zero crime-related fatalities during the period. Meanwhile, deaths attributed to "other reasons", a category encompassing causes outside the four specified, were notably high in the UAE (1,092) and Saudi Arabia (1,040), followed by Kuwait (285), Oman (222), Qatar (102), and Bahrain (43).

Over 70 per cent of these cases occurred in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), followed by Malaysia (131) and the United States (62), while Italy, Canada and the United Kingdom each recorded over 30 cases during the three years.

Over 70% of Indian suicides abroad occur in Gulf countries, MEA data shows

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PM Modi's foreign visits cost ₹74.59 crore in 2026 till July; 2025 recorded highest spending

Over 70% of Indian suicides abroad occur in Gulf countries, MEA data shows