India’s defence budget is expected to see a significant boost in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with an additional ₹50,000 crore proposed through a supplementary budget. This proposal, aimed at ramping up spending on weapons, ammunition, and indigenous defence technologies, is likely to be approved in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament, according to sources.
This development follows a decade of substantial increases in defence spending under the NDA government. Since 2014-15, when the defence budget stood at ₹2.29 lakh crore, it has nearly tripled to ₹6.81 lakh crore in 2024-25—representing 13.45% of India’s total annual budget.
Operation Sindoor, a high-stakes military action in which Indian forces destroyed nine terror camps inside Pakistan without crossing the international border, highlighted India’s superior defence capability. The operation showcased a highly effective multi-layered air defence network, combining indigenous systems with foreign acquisitions. Among the assets deployed were:
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Russian S-400 ‘Triumf’ long-range air defence system
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Barak-8 medium-range surface-to-air missile system (jointly developed with Israel)
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Akash missile system (indigenously developed by DRDO)
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Legacy systems like Pechora, OSA-AK, and LLAD guns
These systems effectively neutralised nearly all incoming Pakistani drones and missiles during the operation, bolstering confidence in India’s air defence readiness.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a public address on May 12, lauded the success of the operation and emphasized the credibility of Made-in-India defence equipment. He declared that the performance of indigenous systems during Operation Sindoor has shown the world that Indian-made defence technology is ready for modern warfare.
This expected budgetary boost aligns with the government’s broader push for defence indigenisation under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative, reinforcing a strategic shift toward reducing dependency on foreign arms and bolstering domestic defence manufacturing.
