India has the third or fourth-largest budget for defence research and development (counting space and atomic energy as part of defence). Indian military experts say the country already possesses a robust air defence mechanism and is in the process of indigenizing it completely.
With the twin objective of promoting self-reliance and exports, the Defence Budget has touched Rs 6.21 lakh crore in the Financial Year 2024-25.
This comes out to be 13.04% of the total Union Budget. The Cabinet Committee approved several major defence deals, worth over Rs 92,000 crore, to bolster the combat capabilities of the armed forces.
The panel, examining the Defence Research and Development Organisation's functionality, highlighted a stark insufficiency in the current budget allocation.
India faces pressing threats on its northern and western borders, necessitating meticulous evaluation of future war strategies. Despite being the third-largest military spender globally, India's defence R&D expenditure lags, with a mere 0.7% of GDP allocated. The defence budget remains a critical barometer of India's security policies.
