In his response, Modi reiterated the government’s focus on improving business and citizen convenience, invoking the administration’s “Ease of Doing Business” and “Ease of Living” agenda.
In a rare public rebuttal, Narendra Modi has categorically denied reports claiming the Union government was considering imposing a cess or tax on foreign travel.
Responding to the report on X, the Prime Minister said: “This is totally false. Not an iota of truth in this. There is no question of putting such restrictions on foreign travel. We remain committed to improving ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and ‘Ease of Living’ for our people.”
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 15, 2026This is totally false.
Not an iota of truth in this.
There is no question of putting such restrictions on foreign travel.
We remain committed to improving ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and ‘Ease of Living’ for our people. https://t.co/9lxjbxz0nV
The statement came after a report by CNBC-TV18 claimed that a proposal to levy a cess, surcharge or additional tax on overseas travel was under discussion at the “highest levels” of the government.
CNBC-TV18 retracts report, issues apology
Minutes after the Prime Minister’s response, CNBC-TV18 withdrew the story and issued a public clarification on X.
“Our story on government considering tax/cess on foreign travel is not accurate. We withdraw the story and regret the error,” the network said.
The swift denial from the Prime Minister’s Office, followed by the retraction from the broadcaster, ended speculation around a possible additional levy on outbound international travel by Indian citizens.
Rare intervention by the Prime Minister
The episode stands out because the Prime Minister rarely responds directly to individual media reports unless the matter is considered significant or potentially capable of triggering wider public concern.
The report had sparked debate online over whether the government was exploring measures to curb outbound spending or raise additional revenue through international travel-related taxes. Modi’s intervention appeared aimed at firmly shutting down those concerns.
Focus on ‘Ease of Living’
In his response, Modi reiterated the government’s focus on improving business and citizen convenience, invoking the administration’s “Ease of Doing Business” and “Ease of Living” agenda.
The clarification is likely to reassure frequent international travellers, the aviation industry and tourism stakeholders, especially at a time when outbound travel from India has been witnessing strong post-pandemic growth.
Published on: May 15, 2026 10:34 PM IST
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