Defence Budget Set for Rs.500 Billion Top-up

Following successful missile strikes on nine major terror camps in Pakistan, India is reportedly considering an additional Rs.500 billion defence allocation this fiscal, according to government sources. The military operation, which began on 7 May, was later extended to 11 air bases, crippling Pakistan’s air defence infrastructure. The neighbouring country has long been accused of harbouring terrorist training facilities. The strikes were in retaliation for the killing of 26 Indian and international tourists in Kashmir by Pakistan-trained terrorists on 22 April. In the Union Budget for 2025-26, India allocated Rs.6.81 trillion for defence, marking a 9 per cent increase from  Rs.6.22 trillion last year. The proposed supplementary budget, expected to be tabled during the Parliament’s winter session, would bolster the acquisition of weapon systems, ammunition, and equipment. A substantial share of contracts is likely to go to domestic defence firms across the public and private sectors. The four-day Operation Sindoor demonstrated the effectiveness of indigenous air defence systems, neutralising enemy counterattacks involving swarm drones and ballistic missiles. In his national address on 12 May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “During this operation, the credibility of our Made in India weapons was also proven. Today, the world is witnessing that in 21st-century warfare, the time has come for Made in India defence equipment.”