India Commits Record USD85B for Military Spending
The substantial expansion follows a short-lived military confrontation with neighboring Pakistan in May 2025. Capital outlays for the armed forces have been fixed at $23 billion, targeting major weapons acquisition initiatives.
"The Union Budget 2026-27 will help in further strengthening India's defence capabilities," Defense Minister Rajnath Singh later said in a post on X.
Modernizing the armed forces represents the primary objective of the budget following Operation Sindoor, a contained military operation initiated in response to cross-border hostilities with Pakistan earlier this year, Singh stated.
"The Union Budget 2026-27 will help in further strengthening India's defence capabilities. I thank PM Shri @narendramodi for allocating a record Rs 7.85 Lakh crores towards Defence sector. pic.twitter.com/WhrSmOxFDn — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 1, 2026"
New Delhi and Islamabad exchanged artillery fire from May 7 to 10, following a militant assault on April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives.
The confrontations featured extensive deployment of missile platforms, highlighting the expanding significance of long-range strike capabilities.
The augmented funding is anticipated to finance Indian acquisitions of combat aircraft, naval vessels, and advanced warfare technology, including drones, media reported.
India is pursuing establishment of a rocket-missile force equipped with weapons capable of striking targets at varying distances, the chief of the army staff revealed, clarifying that such a force proves essential to enhancing combat effectiveness.
New Delhi authorized a succession of defense acquisitions in 2025, allocating $8.8 billion in December.
This followed approval for purchases valued at approximately $7.6 billion in August, encompassing BrahMos missiles and armed drones, alongside upgrades to other existing platforms.
India, ranked among the world's leading defense importers, has historically depended on Moscow for equipment and technology. It regards Russian missile technology as crucial to sustaining an airpower equilibrium with its neighbors.
Negotiations between Moscow and New Delhi concerning manufacturing Sukhoi Su-57 aircraft in India are reportedly at an advanced stage. Moscow serves as an active collaborator in New Delhi's plans to produce weapons domestically, with some Russian defense equipment already being manufactured under licensing agreements in India.
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