- Modi's foreign travel and advertisements have cost over Dh3 billion in 4 years.
Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s trips around the world have cost Indian taxpayers roughly $280 million (over Dh1 billion). Additionally, the Indian government spent $640 million (Dh2.3 billion) on promoting Modi’s flagship projects and achievements.
Government data
The new government data that is available on Government of India's Ministry of External Affairs website, was provided in a response to a lawmaker’s questions in the parliament.
Vijay Kumar Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs submitted reports about money spent on each foreign trip, combined with the cost of maintenance on Air India One and setting up a secure hotline.
The money spent on advertisements was made available in the parliament by Rajyavardhan Rathore, the junior minister for information and broadcasting.
According to Indian news website Scroll.in: “Responding to Communist Party of India MP Binoy Viswam on Thurday, 13 December, Singh gave details of the Prime Minister’s trips between June 15, 2014 and December 3, 2018.
“Singh said that a total of Rs1,583.18 crore (Dh58 billion) was spent on aircraft maintenance alone, while Rs429.28 crore (Dh15 billion) was spent on chartered flights and Rs 9.12 crore (Dh330 million) was spent on a secure hotline between 2014 and 2017.”
Indian Twitter users react
Twitter users were quick to react to the expenditure. Many questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party’s priorities. @koushikdas47 posted: “Costly foreign trips, farmers money [used for the] #StatueOfUnity, environmental massacre, deforestation, killing wildlife, fanaticism, vote-seeking with religious superstition, letting the billionaires get away with financial crimes, #RafaleScam and many more... Modi is a complete disaster.”
@Thevarsteffy reminded Twitterverse of the Gorakhpur tragedy in 2017, in which over 70 children died over five days at a government hospital in northern India, due to oxygen shortage: “When people often say that #Modi makes #India proud when he goes abroad, tell them [how much] this pride cost, Rs2000 crores. But UP (Uttar Pradesh) government has no money to buy oxygen for children. #NarendraModi #Prideisillusion”
2017 reports: Children in UP die due to oxygen shortage in a government hospital
Tweep @thejaseem pointed out the other things that the Indian government was spending money on: “Expenditure on Modi’s publicity: Rs5,000Cr, Expenditure on Modi’s foreign trips: Rs2,000Cr, Expenditure on Sardar Patel statue: Rs3,000Cr, Total: Rs10,000Cr (for one man’s fantasy), Ayushmann Bharat national budget: Rs3,200Cr. Nice to have a PM with clear priorities.”
Statue of Unity: India's new Dh1.47 billion monument
@TheOutsider40 questioned: “How can this be justified in a country with struggling farmers, more children malnourished and a bigger share of people living in extreme poverty?”
Supporters say trips were necessary
BJP and Modi followers, however, took to Twitter to say that Modi’s trips were necessary and had yielded promising results for the country.
@smkcool23 tweeted: "Did he go on a vacation that your crying blue murder? He is the PM and he went there on a mission and not for partying. The results of his foreign trips are there for everyone to see. Do read up on India’s foreign policy milestones if you have the time.”
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