Defence Budget

The present crisis is as much of a challenge as an opportunity to infuse financial realism in defence planning and bring about concomitant reforms in the quickest possible timeframe.

• Amit Cowshish
• April 13, 2020
• IDSA Comments

The slowdown in economic growth not only seems to have cast its shadow on the allocation of the defence budget for 2020-21 but has also compounded the challenges for the country’s first CDS.

• Vinay Kaushal
• February 12, 2020
• IDSA Comments

Considering that the defence capital expenditure already accounts for a very high share in the central government’s overall capital spend, any substantial hike in the former’s share looks less likely. This is more so given the government’s priority to spend on infrastructure and other non-defence capital assets to revive the economic growth.

• Laxman Kumar Behera
• February 04, 2020
• Issue Brief

The government seems to have little fiscal space for accommodating the demand of the armed forces for additional funds, given its quantum on the one hand and the state of its revenues on the other which are already quite stressed.

• Amit Cowshish
• September 26, 2019
• IDSA Comments

Even if the Fifteenth Finance Commission manages to make a specific recommendation about the funds to be allocated for defence and internal security and the government accepts the recommendation, there can be no guarantee that the actual allocation will not fall short of the accepted level.

• Amit Cowshish
• July 24, 2019
• IDSA Comments

It would be nice to see the defence ministry setting up a task force and submitting actionable recommendations which could be considered by the finance minister while deciding the defence outlay next year.

• Amit Cowshish
• July 10, 2019
• IDSA Comments

With the latest Union budget keeping the MoD interim allocation unchanged, the MoD has an uphill task in managing its resources and in funding its modernisation programmes.

• Laxman Kumar Behera
• July 08, 2019
• Issue Brief

Implementing the outlined 27 reform measures in four broad areas – Planning, Defence Budget, Acquisition and Make in India – would strengthen defence preparedness and build a credible defence industrial base.

• Laxman Kumar Behera
• June 06, 2019
• Policy Brief

While the purpose of the Fall Clause, a price safety mechanism in rate contracts, is indubitable, some issues concerning its applicability and implications, both for the buyer and the seller, merit a review.

• Amit Cowshish
• May 08, 2019
• IDSA Comments

A dynamic offset policy has to include a mechanism for identifying the causes for likely delay or default on the part of vendors in discharging their obligation and removing the impediments faced by them

• Amit Cowshish
• March 20, 2019
• IDSA Comments