The government modestly raised the defense budget from Rs 5.94 lakh crore last year to Rs 6.21 lakh crore for 2024-25 on Thursday. They also announced a big plan for using “deep-tech” technologies in the military.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave the interim Union budget to Parliament. It included a provision for the military to receive Rs 1.72 lakh crore for capital expenditures, which mostly refers to buying new weapons, aircraft, warships, and other military equipment. The budgeted amount for capital expenditure in 2023–24 was Rs 1.62 lakh crore.
In addition, the finance minister said that a new plan would be made to improve high-tech weapons and speed up the process of “atmanirbharta,” or self-reliance, in the region.
There will be a total of Rs 4,39,300 crore spent on taxes and fees. Of this amount, Rs 1,41,205 crore will go to military benefits, Rs 2,82,772 crore to military services, and Rs 15,322 crore to the Ministry of Defence (Civil).
An amount of Rs 40,777 crore has been set aside for planes and engines, and another amount of Rs 62,343 crore has been set aside for “other equipment.”
Rs 23,800 crore has been spent on the naval fleet and Rs 6,830 crore has been spent on projects at the navy dockyard.
The most money was spent on capital for the Indian Air Force in the 2023–24 budget, at Rs 57,137.09 crore. This included Rs 15,721 crore for buying planes and engines and Rs 36,223.13 crore for other gear.
For 2024–25, the Army will spend Rs 1,92,680 crore on income, while the Navy and Indian Air Force will spend Rs 32,778 crore and Rs 46,223 crore, respectively.
Associate Professor Laxman Kumar Behera, who works at the Special Center for National Security Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said that the total budget for defense was not very big, which shows that the government puts a lot of value on the military.
“The aid did not show any lack of support for the armed forces.”
The rise of Rs 10,000 crore in capital expenditures was also seen as a “healthy sign” by Dr. Behera.
-
-
-
-
