New Delhi: The overall budget allocation for the Ministry of External Affairs for 2025-26 is Rs. 20,516.61 crore, marking an increase of 15.45% over last year’s budget.
While no allocation has been made towards EXIM bank provisioning in the MEA’s budget at this stage, the provisioning regarding EXIM Bank is a dynamic process and may be done at a later phase if the need arises.
The Budget allocation of Rs. 20,516.61 crore is an increase of 15.45% in comparison to last year’s budget without the allocation towards EXIM bank provisioning.
Development Cooperation
The allocation towards MEA’s schemes – comprising India’s overseas development partnership portfolio – is Rs. 6,750 crore, which makes up 33% of the overall budget.
This marks an increase of about 20% (Rs.1,082 crore) over last year’s allocation which was Rs. 5,667.56 crore, and is in alignment with India’s foreign policy objectives and expansive development partnership footprint.
With the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy taking precedence, 64% of the MEA’s schemes portfolio (Rs. 4,320 crore) is earmarked for India’s immediate neighbours towards implementation of a variety of demand-driven initiatives ranging from large infrastructure projects such as hydroelectric plants, power transmission lines, housing, roads, bridges, integrated check-posts, to small-scale grass-roots level community development projects as well as training and capacity building programmes.
With India having operationalized 10 new Missions and Posts abroad during FY 2024-25, MEA’s relevant budget head for 2025-26 has increased by around 9% to cater for the same.
– i.e. an increase from Rs 3,867.64 crore in 2024-25 to Rs. 4,206 in 2025-2026.
— A key component of citizen-centric initiatives includes the issuance of passports, e-personalization of passports, and implementation of version 2.0 of the Passport Seva Project to usher in technological upgradation of passport services.
– MEA’s relevant budget head for 2025-26 has increased by 97% to cater for the same.
– i.e. an increase from Rs 970 crore in 2024-25 to Rs. 1,913 crore for 2025-2026.
UNI
