Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi
New Delhi, May 16: In a major financial shot in the arm for India’s defence forces post Operation Sindoor, the government is likely to approve an additional Rs 50,000 crore through a supplementary budget, sources told NDTV. The move, aimed at enhancing India’s military preparedness, is expected to push the total defence allocation beyond the Rs 7 lakh crore mark — a historic high.
This development comes in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory strike on terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which followed the brutal Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local.
In the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 this year, the defence ministry had already received a record allocation of Rs 6.81 lakh crore, marking a 9.2 per cent hike from the previous year’s Rs 6.22 lakh crore.
With this latest boost, India’s defence budget will remain the largest among all ministries, accounting for 13 per cent of the total Union Budget.
According to defence ministry sources, the increased allocation will be channelled towards critical research and development, as well as procurement of modern weapons, ammunition, and essential military equipment. The proposal for the additional funds is expected to be tabled in Parliament during the upcoming Winter Session.
Since coming to power in 2014, the Narendra Modi-led government has consistently prioritized defence modernization. The defence budget has more than tripled from Rs 2.29 lakh crore in 2014-15 to what could now cross Rs 7 lakh crore — highlighting the strategic shift toward national security and indigenous defence capabilities.
Operation Sindoor, besides showcasing India’s offensive capabilities, also demonstrated the growing technological edge of its military systems. In particular, focus has intensified on the Indian-made Akash missile defence system, which, in tandem with advanced surveillance and interception technology, drew comparisons to Israel’s famed Iron Dome.
Further bolstering the indigenous defence ecosystem, the armed forces successfully tested the Bhargavastra counter-drone system in Odisha this week. Developed as a low-cost, hard-kill micro-rocket system, Bhargavastra passed all test parameters at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur, giving India a significant edge in countering UAV threats along sensitive borders.
As cross-border tensions remain high, India’s growing defence outlay underscores its commitment to ensuring robust preparedness, technological self-reliance, and an unyielding stance against terrorism.