New Delhi: India’s defence budget may soon see an additional allocation of ₹50,000 crore as part of a supplementary package linked to Operation Sindoor, according to government sources. If approved, this would raise the total defence expenditure for the financial year 2025–26 to over ₹7 lakh crore — the highest in India’s history.
The development follows the Union Budget presented on February 1, in which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had already earmarked a record ₹6.81 lakh crore for the armed forces, reflecting a 9.2% increase from the ₹6.22 lakh crore allocated in 2024–25. The proposed boost is expected to be tabled for approval during the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.
Sources indicate that the additional funds will be directed toward bolstering critical sectors, including defence research and development, weapons procurement, ammunition stockpiling, and acquisition of advanced military systems. The push comes in the aftermath of escalating regional tensions and India’s robust military response to cross-border terrorism.
Since assuming office in 2014, the Narendra Modi-led government has significantly scaled up defence spending. In its first year, the defence allocation stood at ₹2.29 lakh crore — a figure that has more than tripled over the past decade. Today, defence accounts for nearly 13% of India’s total annual budget, the highest share among all ministries.
The latest proposed increase is directly linked to the events following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed in an assault carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives. The attack triggered nationwide outrage and led to India launching Operation Sindoor — a series of precision airstrikes targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Pakistan retaliated with drone and missile attacks aimed at Indian military and civilian infrastructure. However, India’s multi-layered air defence network — comprising the indigenously developed Akash missile system and the Russian S-400 system — successfully neutralized these threats. India responded with further targeted strikes, destroying Pakistani radar systems and inflicting significant damage on air force bases, ultimately forcing Pakistan to seek a ceasefire.
Operation Sindoor not only demonstrated India’s enhanced military readiness but also showcased its technological capabilities, drawing comparisons to Israel’s Iron Dome. At the heart of this readiness was the Akash missile system, a symbol of India’s push for self-reliance in defence technology.
Adding to its growing arsenal, India also tested the Bhargavastra system — an indigenous, low-cost counter-drone solution operating in “hard kill” mode. Its micro-rocket systems passed trials this week at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur, Odisha, meeting all mission parameters.
In a statement following the 100-hour military engagement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated the government’s commitment to domestic defence production. “Buying equipment from foreign countries means outsourcing our security. That is not a viable long-term solution,” he said, reinforcing the push for indigenization under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first public address after the operation, issued a stern warning to terror networks and their sponsors. He declared that India’s counter-terrorism doctrine had fundamentally changed, stating that any future dialogue on Kashmir would only occur in the context of dismantling terror infrastructure and reclaiming illegally occupied territories.
The proposed ₹50,000 crore infusion into the defence sector, if passed, will further entrench this doctrinal shift — one that favors pre-emptive, high-precision military action to secure national interests and project strength on the global stage.
