Cost of PM Modi's Brazil BRICS Visit: A Closer Look at the RTI Figures

[Michael Gonsalves]

The reported expenditure of ₹8,90,96,770 (approximately ₹89.1 million) for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Brazil for the BRICS Summit on July 6-7, 2025, as detailed in an RTI response sought by Ajay Basudev Bose, has sparked significant public discussion. The breakdown of costs highlights the substantial resources allocated to high-level diplomatic engagements:

    Hotel Arrangements: ₹3,04,13,551 (approx. ₹30.4 million)

    Venue Charges: ₹57,68,649 (approx. ₹5.8 million)

    Transport Arrangements: ₹1,89,69,860 (approx. ₹19.0 million)

    Miscellaneous Expenditure: ₹3,39,44,710 (approx. ₹33.9 million)

This total expenditure of close to ₹8.91 crore for a two-day trip, part of a five-nation tour, brings into sharp focus the perennial debate surrounding the necessity and cost of foreign diplomacy, particularly against the backdrop of significant domestic challenges.

The Diplomatic Imperative vs. Domestic Needs

High-level foreign visits, such as participation in the BRICS Summit, are officially justified as essential for advancing India's foreign policy goals, securing its strategic interests, and fostering economic growth. The BRICS forum, which brings together major emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and expanded members), is a critical platform for discussions on global governance, economic cooperation, and development issues, including those relevant to the Global South. For India, these visits are often linked to securing trade deals, attracting investment, strengthening bilateral security ties, and advocating for global reforms.

However, the cost figures prompt an immediate and understandable comparison with domestic priorities. The stated context—"Prime Minister of A Country Where 800 million people live on Free Rations"—underscores the moral and political dilemma. A significant portion of the Indian population relies on state support for basic sustenance, making large public expenditures on foreign travel a sensitive political issue. Critics argue that such high costs represent a disconnect between the government's priorities and the economic realities faced by the common citizen, suggesting that the funds could be better utilized for critical domestic infrastructure, healthcare, or education.

Decoding the Expenditure

A detailed look at the cost components reveals where the majority of the money is allocated:

    Accommodation and Transport (₹4.94 Crore): Hotel and transport arrangements make up the largest portion of the itemized costs. High-security protocol for a head of government, including dedicated floor bookings, secure local transport fleets, and logistics for the accompanying delegation (security, media, officials), drive these costs up significantly in international destinations.

    Miscellaneous Expenditure (₹3.39 Crore): This large, non-specific category often covers crucial operational costs that do not fit standard categories, such as translation services, communication equipment, security enhancements, contingency funds, and local liaison services. Transparency in the breakdown of this 'miscellaneous' amount is often a key demand from transparency activists like the one who filed the RTI.

    Venue Charges (₹57.7 Lakh): This covers the cost of organizing bilateral meetings, press conferences, and delegation-level talks within the summit's official schedule but outside the primary BRICS venue, often requiring rental and setup of secure facilities.

Ultimately, while diplomatic engagements are a necessity for a nation of India's stature and global ambition, the release of such RTI figures serves a crucial function: it forces a public scrutiny of expenditure and re-ignites the debate on fiscal responsibility and the balance between global projection and meeting immediate domestic needs. It places the onus on the government to clearly articulate the tangible benefits derived from these high-cost international visits to justify the expense to the taxpayer.

This video covers the Prime Minister's arrival and the scope of the 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil, providing context for the visit whose cost is the subject of the article. PM Modi Arrives In Rio For BRICS Summit 2025, Receives Grand Welcome From Indian Diaspora