The trend among wealthy Indians is to hold weddings abroad.

Some argue that many Indians are being overly wasteful by spending lavishly on weddings abroad.

Currently, tourism in the region is gradually returning to pre-Covid-19 levels as more and more wealthy Indian families invite friends and relatives to attend "foreign weddings" across Southeast Asia or even further afield.

In light of these developments, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern that the trend of holding weddings abroad would weaken the country's tourism trade. Modi's remarks may have stemmed from the decline in the value of the Indian rupee, which has been at record lows against the US dollar in recent months.

"There's a growing trend among some Indian families to hold weddings abroad. Is this necessary? If the wedding is held domestically, the expenses will remain within the country," Prime Minister Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi's speech took place while India's wedding industry was enjoying a bumper season. According to the Confederation of All Indian Traders (CAIT), in the 23-day period from November to December, around 3.5 million Indian couples got married, generating revenue worth approximately 5 trillion rupees (US$60.2 billion).

Economists suggest that preventing the currency from depreciating was the main motivation for the Prime Minister's speech, which also aligns with the "Vocal for Local" campaign, which focuses on encouraging more Indians to buy goods and spend on services domestically.

According to Biswajit Dhar, a professor of economics at the Social Development Council, a New Delhi-based research institution, India's trade balance – the difference between the value of exports and imports – is in a precarious position amid a slowing global economy.

Although the International Monetary Fund rates India as the fastest-growing major economy, Dhar also argues that the depreciation of the rupee is increasing costs because much of this growth is supported by imported inputs.

"Above all, anything that depletes foreign exchange reserves can be very serious," he said, referring to lavish weddings abroad.

However, representatives from India's tourism industry say they are preparing to tighten these regulations, possibly through higher taxes on any overseas spending exceeding a predetermined ceiling.

Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Indonesia are attracting wealthy Indians who want to hold weddings abroad, amid tourism industry insiders who argue this trend should be encouraged.

Hire a helicopter and a Michelin-starred chef.

The ability of wealthy Indians to spend on the finer things in life has been demonstrated through a series of recent overseas wedding parties, which included everything from gondola rides to hiring Michelin-starred chefs and famous singers.

Even middle-class families in India are willing to splurge on luxuries like hiring helicopters to transport the bride and groom to their wedding venue. A high-end Indian wedding, with custom-designed dresses for the bride and bridesmaids, and expensive gifts for guests, can easily cost up to $5 million. And Indians are eager to keep up with the current trend.

Professor Sumit Agarwal, an economics professor at the National University, said that the way for India to recoup some of the money it has spent heavily on traditional wedding venues in Thailand or the Maldives is to build its own high-end wedding infrastructure domestically.

"Some countries, like Thailand, are great wedding destinations because they have capitalized on the strengths of wedding tourism in the country."

In the current context, India is developing its tourism industry, but Mr. Agarwal argues that the country "has not yet promoted luxury tourism for the wealthy." Sometimes, the desire to hold a wedding abroad is driven by a desire for ostentation.

India is blessed with a wealth of exotic natural landscapes, stretching from the pristine Himalayan mountain range and vast deserts to unspoiled white-sand beaches.

Tourism industry experts say that India's remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands, off the coast of Myanmar, or the Lakshadweep Islands territory north of the Maldives, could easily compete with other destinations targeting high-end wedding venues.

But that doesn't mean India hasn't attracted people who want to hold their weddings in the country.

Ekta Sharma, Director of Khyaath Design Holidays in Gurugram, said she recently helped a couple from the Philippines organize a week-long wedding program in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan state, holding wedding receptions in former royal palaces and luxury hotels.

However, it's not always possible to fulfill the wishes of tourists who want to hold their weddings here because the demand for high-end hotels in places like Jaipur far exceeds the supply, and reservations may have to wait until the end of February the following year.