PM Modi Dismisses Reports of Foreign Travel Tax, Calls Viral Claims ‘Completely False’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly denied reports claiming that the central government is planning to impose a tax, cess, or surcharge on foreign travel.
Responding to the speculation on social media platform X, PM Modi called the reports “totally false” and clarified that the government has no plans to place restrictions on overseas travel.
“There is not an iota of truth in this,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the government remains committed to improving both “Ease of Doing Business” and “Ease of Living” for citizens.
The clarification came after a media report suggested that the Centre was considering a temporary surcharge on international travel to help manage the financial impact of rising crude oil prices and global geopolitical tensions. The report claimed the proposal was being discussed at senior levels of government and that the surcharge could remain in place for about a year.
However, shortly after PM Modi’s response, the media outlet withdrew the report and issued a public apology, admitting that the information was inaccurate.
The rumours had sparked concern among frequent travellers and the aviation industry, especially at a time when global fuel prices are already under pressure due to ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran.
In recent days, PM Modi had appealed to citizens to use fuel carefully, avoid unnecessary foreign trips, and reduce non-essential spending on imported goods like gold to help conserve India’s foreign exchange reserves during uncertain global conditions.
Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict in West Asia continues to impact global energy markets and aviation costs. Rising jet fuel prices have increased operational expenses for airlines worldwide, including in India, where aviation companies have reportedly sought government support to deal with the fuel crisis.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
