‘Not an iota of truth’: PM Modi dismisses report on foreign travel tax

In a rare and unusual direct intervention, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, May 15, dismissed a report claiming that the central government was considering to impose a cess or tax on foreign travel.

As per the report by CNBC-TV18, the proposal to “levy cess/tax/surcharge on foreign travel” was being discussed at the “highest levels” of the government.

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Taking to X, Prime Minister Modi replied to the post and stated that it is “tatally flase” and there was not even an “iota of truth” to the report.

“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,” Prime Minister Modi wrote on the social media platform.

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. https://t.co/9lxjbxz0nV

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 15, 2026

Soon after, CNBC-TV18 issued an apology on X and stated that it was withdrawing the story.

Our story on government considering tax/cess on foreign travel is not accurate. We withdraw the story and regret the error https://t.co/HCr7w5cfLJ

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) May 15, 2026

“Our story on government considering tax/cess on foreign travel is not accurate. We withdraw the story and regret the error,” the news outlet wrote.