PM Modi's foreign trips cost taxpayers over Rs. 2,000cr
Since he was elected to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited dozens of countries, and met world leaders in a bid to increase India's influence on the global stage. Now, it has been revealed that PM Modi's hectic foreign trips, over the last four years, have cost Indian taxpayers over Rs. 2,000cr. Here are the details.
The revelation came following an inquiry by the Opposition
Details about the costs incurred for PM Modi's foreign trips were revealed to the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh in response to a query by the Opposition. CPI MP Binoy Viswam had raised the question, asking for a detailed list of countries visited, memorandums signed, ministers accompanying PM Modi, and the costs of travel.
A detailed break down of costs
The documents provided by Singh, have revealed that PM Modi took 84 foreign trips between June 15, 2014, and December 3, 2018. In terms of costs, maintenance of Air India One cost taxpayers Rs. 1,583.18cr, while chartered flights cost another Rs. 429.28cr, in the aforementioned period. Cost for a secure hotline cost Rs. 9.12cr. Secure hotline cost for May 2017-December 2018 was not provided.
PM Modi has spent four years globetrotting
Indeed, the costs reflect the vast expanse of PM Modi's trips to foreign soil. Since taking office, PM Modi has met several towering global leaders, sometimes in multiple instances, including US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. PM Modi's trips have also included visits to important summits and meetings.
Some trips were of serious diplomatic import
It's worth noting that although PM Modi has faced flak for his foreign trips, some of them have yielded important diplomatic results. For instance, PM Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping following the intense Doklam stand-off, and subsequent meets to improve Sino-Indian relations, have largely been seen as a diplomatic success. Additionally, PM Modi has signed several important bilateral agreements with foreign powers.
Not all trips, however, have been received positively
That said, not all of PM Modi's trips have been received positively. PM Modi's trip to Japan in 2016, right after the demonetization, led to criticisms that he was travelling the world while ordinary Indians languished. Other trips were plain odd: earlier this year, PM Modi gifted 200 dairy cows to beef-eating Rwanda. He has also pledged cooperation on yoga with Turkmenistan, China, and Japan.
