PM Modi rejected a CNBC-TV18 report claiming the government was considering a tax or surcharge on foreign travel, calling it “totally false.”
The report had cited unnamed sources and linked the alleged proposal to rising war-related financial pressures and import costs.
Following PM Modi’s response, CNBC-TV18 withdrew the report and issued a public apology, admitting the story was inaccurate.
On Friday, May 15, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi fact-checked a post shared by CNBC-TV18 on X and called it false. The post claimed that the Government of India was considering imposing a tax, cess, or surcharge on foreign travel. Rejecting the report, PM Modi wrote, “This is totally false. Not an iota of truth in this.”
PM Modi further added, “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,” highlighting that the government was not planning to impose any such restriction on citizens.
The post in question was shared by CNBC-TV18, which cited unnamed sources and claimed that the government was discussing a proposal to impose a temporary tax or surcharge on foreign travel. The post read, “Govt considering tax/cess/surcharge on foreign travel, no final decision yet. Proposal to levy cess/tax/surcharge on foreign travel being discussed at highest levels.”
According to the report, the proposed surcharge was aimed at managing the financial impact of the ongoing West Asia conflict, including rising crude oil and import costs. It also claimed that the money collected would go directly to the central government. However, the report noted that no final decision had been taken and that the Finance Ministry had not responded to queries on the matter.
Soon after PM Modi’s response, CNBC-TV18 withdrew the report and issued a public apology. The channel posted on X, “Our story on the government considering tax/cess on foreign travel is not accurate. We withdraw the story and regret the error.”
The incident quickly drew attention on social media. One user commented, “Not accurate? Dude used up all the words instead of apologising,” reacting to the channel’s apology. Another person joked, “Don’t worry, you can’t lose what you don’t have — credibility.” A third user wrote, “Spreading fake news doesn’t qualify as just an ‘error’ and withdrawal of the story doesn’t absolve you from that crime.”
The incident gained wider attention because it is uncommon for the Prime Minister to personally respond to and reject a media report. Usually, such clarifications are issued through official government fact-checking agencies like PIB Fact Check.
[VP]
Suggested Reading:
Subscribe to our channels on YouTube and WhatsApp
Download our app on Play Store