Defence Expenditure

In the Union Budget 2023–24, the estimated allocations for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are Rs 5,93,537.64 crores, an increase of 13 per cent over BE 2022–23 (Rs 5,25,166.15 crores).

• S. Samuel C. Rajiv , Abhay Kumar Singh
• February 17, 2023
• Issue Brief

Micro and macro-level budgetary reforms are required to ensure optimum utilisation of the allocated resources for executing financially viable plans.

• Amit Cowshish
• August 02, 2022
• IDSA Comments

This article examines India’s defence expenditure over the past ten years. In so doing, it provides a public finance perspective to explain the recurring resource crunch being faced by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The article reasons that a substantial augmentation of resources for the MoD in the past has faced stiff barriers due to lack of tax buoyancy and also the political, economic and other exigencies that have led to greater public spending outside the traditional areas of expenses, including defence.

• Laxman Kumar Behera , Pabitra Mohan Nayak
• September 2021
• Strategic Analysis

There is a need to formulate a composite policy that focuses on indigenisation in high priority technology areas, shedding the notion that it must necessarily result in savings. A more modest and focussed mission-mode approach to indigenisation can produce better results.

• Amit Cowshish
• July 09, 2021
• IDSA Comments

India’s defence eco-system is indeed becoming more dynamic as it strives to achieve the tough defence exports targets.

• S. Samuel C. Rajiv
• March 31, 2021
• IDSA Comments

Given the limited resource base and various competing demands, the MoD needs to work on a plan to optimise its allocated resources, rather than hoping to bridge its entire resource gap through additional funding from the Ministry of Finance.

• Laxman Kumar Behera , Madhulika Baniwal
• July 10, 2020
• Special Feature

Self-reliance in defence may be better realised if India’s military instrument were to be shaped by political guidance and geopolitical considerations instead of being carried away by the contemporary winds of COVID-19.

• Prakash Menon
• June 01, 2020
• IDSA Comments

Although the new measures announced to fast-track the defence sector are significant, they do not add up to a comprehensive and overarching reforms package.

• Amit Cowshish
• May 20, 2020
• IDSA Comments

The inevitable reprioritisation of the central government’s expenditure in the coming union budgets would affect the resource allocations particularly for big ministries like the MoD, which will be forced to realign their business practices.

• Laxman Kumar Behera
• April 24, 2020
• IDSA Comments

Given the rapidly rising pension liability in India and the concern expressed by the CDS, the experiences of the US and the UK could be useful in carrying out pension reforms in India.

• Laxman Kumar Behera , Vinay Kaushal , Amit Cowshish
• April 23, 2020
• Policy Brief