Defence gets 13% of Budget, outlay up 10% to Rs 6.81 lakh crore

Of the full allocation, Rs 1.8 lakh crore volition beryllium for superior expenditure underlining the value the authorities accords to modernising the Armed Forces and procuring caller weapons.

“The Ministry has taken a determination to observe 2025-26 arsenic ‘Year of Reforms’ which volition further fortify the resoluteness of the Government for modernisation of Armed Forces and is aimed for simplification successful the Defence Procurement Procedure to guarantee optimum utilisation of the allocation,” a Defence Ministry connection said connected Saturday.

The full gross allocation for the Armed Forces stood astatine Rs 3.11 lakh crore which is 45.76% of the full outlay. Defence pension has received Rs 1.6 lakh crore and Rs 28,683 crore for civilian organisations.

On superior outlay, which is 4.65% higher than past twelvemonth allocation, the Defence Ministry said, “In the existent geopolitical script wherever the satellite is witnessing a changing paradigm of modern warfare, Indian Armed Forces request to beryllium equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and person to beryllium transformed into a technologically-advanced combat-ready force.”

Of the full superior outlay, Rs 1.48 lakh crore would beryllium spent connected modernisation of the Armed Forces portion the remainder would beryllium spent connected probe and development.

Significantly, 75% of the Rs 1.48 lakh crore modernisation outlay would beryllium spent connected home procurement successful keeping with the Atmanirbhar Bharat argumentation of the Centre.

“This allocation of funds volition further facilitate MoD’s program to task successful caller domains specified arsenic Cyber & Space and emerging technologies specified arsenic Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning and Robotics etc. Some large acquisitions planned successful the adjacent twelvemonth specified arsenic Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft of High and Medium altitude, signifier outgo of Deck-based Aircraft, adjacent procreation submarines/ships/platforms volition beryllium funded retired of this allocation,” the MoD said successful a statement.

The budgetary allocation to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been accrued to Rs 26,817 crore successful FY 2025-26 from Rs 23,856 crore past year. Of this, a large stock of astir Rs 15,000 crore has been allocated for superior expenditure and to money the R&D projects.

“This volition financially fortify the DRDO successful processing caller technologies with peculiar absorption connected cardinal probe and hand-holding of the backstage parties done Development-cum-Production Partner,” the Defence Ministry said.

In bid to further amended borderline infrastructure and facilitate the question of Armed Forces unit done pugnacious terrains, Rs 7,146.50 crore has been allocated to Border Roads Organisation (BRO) nether superior head, which is 9.74% higher than the fund estimation of 2024-25.

This, the Defence Ministry said, “will not lone beforehand the strategical involvement of the federation successful borderline areas by constructing tunnels, bridges and roads specified arsenic LGG-Damteng-Yangtse successful Arunachal Pradesh, Asha-Cheema-Anita successful J&K, and Birdhwal-Puggal-Bajju successful Rajasthan, but volition besides boost socio-economic development, supply employment opportunities and promote tourism.”