In a written reply in the Lok Sabha to a question raised by Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan and others, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L Murugan, recently provided a detailed breakdown of the Central Government's advertising expenditure over the last 11 years.

The minister stated that between 2014-15 and 2024-25, the Narendra Modi government spent a total of Rs 5,987.46 crore on advertisements. This averages out to approximately Rs 1.5 crore every single day.

These figures stand in stark contrast to a statement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi in 2022. At the time, Modi took a sharp dig at then-Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, claiming he could have used ad spends to burnish his own image but chose the “path of working for the public” instead.

However, the government's own data suggests that the paths of “work” and “promotion” have often run parallel.

Starting at Rs 765.83 crore in 2014-15, spending climbed to Rs 879.80 crore the following year, eventually peaking at Rs 889.34 crore in 2017-18. The figures then declined sharply, dropping to Rs 281.71 crore in 2020-21 and hitting a low of Rs 214.94 crore in 2021-22. However, that downward trend has since reversed, with spending rising to Rs 353.98 crore in 2023-24.

Beyond the total volume, the government’s strategy is evolving. Spending on digital platforms is surging; between 2023–24 and 2025–26, the government directed over Rs 120.13 crore toward Google India and YouTube. During that same period, Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – received approximately Rs 24.45 crore. This shift signals a clear move toward digital dominance alongside traditional media.

Who were the biggest beneficiaries of this windfall? Watch.

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