By Adolf
With much debate today over the reported 16 million spent on security for former President Ranil Wickremesinghe , and questions about the procedures followed leading to his imprisonment, it is useful to place such spending in a global context. The daily cost of maintaining top political leaders has long been a subject of discussion, particularly when comparing figures for U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
For Donald Trump, security and operational expenses for his presidency are exceptionally high. Securing Trump Tower—his private residence in New York—is estimated at around $300,000 per day, with costs rising further when his family stays there. Travel added substantially: operating Air Force One costs about $142,000 per flight hour, so a multi-country trip could exceed $5 million, averaging over $700,000 per day.
Narendra Modi’s security is overseen by the Special Protection Group (SPG), which in 2020–21 had an annual allocation of ₹592 crore (around $72 million). This translates to roughly $200,000 per day. On foreign visits, costs increase significantly, with Air India One operations and logistics pushing daily expenses to $600,000–$800,000.
These comparisons highlight the vast sums required to protect global leaders, reflecting both the burden on taxpayers and the premium placed on national leadership security to protect the dignity of the office of Head of State and the image of the country.
