Air India spent Rs 117 crore in 2015-2016 on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign travel, a 25% increase from the previous year. Modi visited 22 countries, including Russia, France, Germany, Korea, Mongolia, China, the UAE, Ireland, the UK, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkey among others till December last year.

Among PM Modi's most expensive trip last year was in April 2015 when he visited France, Canada and Germany which cost the exchequer Rs 31 crore. The PM signed several agreements in France and Canada and attended the Hannover Messe where India was the partner country. While his trip to China, Mongolia and Korea cost Rs 15 crore, Air India raised a similar bill for the PM's Central Asia visit. This included countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.

Modi also captured headlines and public imagination by stopping at Pakistan en route from Afghanistan to attend Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's granddaughter's wedding. Air India did not disclose how much was spent on the visit and did not respond when reached for comment.

In 2014-2015, the most expensive trip undertaken by the Prime Minister was to Australia and Myanmar where he spent Rs 22 crore followed by Brazil where Rs 20 crore were spent. He has made repeated trips to United States, Singapore and Nepal since he came to power in May 2014.

In 2016, PM has already visited Belgium, United States and Saudi Arabia and is expected to visit Iran later this month. He is scheduled to fly to the US in June.