India will increase its defence budget by Rs 50,000 crore following Operation Sindoor, government sources told NDTV on Friday morning. This boost will take the total defence allocation above Rs 7 lakh crore.

The current budget of Rs 6.81 lakh crore, announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 for the 2025-26 fiscal year, already marked a 9.2 per cent rise over Rs 6.22 lakh crore in 2024-25.

The government plans to seek Parliament’s approval for this additional allocation during the Winter Session. Officials said the extra funds will support research and development as well as the purchase of weapons, ammunition, and other crucial equipment.

Since 2014, the Narendra Modi government has prioritised defence. In the first year of the BJP administration, the Defence Ministry’s budget was Rs 2.29 lakh crore.

Currently, defence commands the largest share among ministries, accounting for 13 per cent of the total budget.

This increase follows ongoing tensions with Pakistan, especially after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. India responded with Operation Sindoor, carrying out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Operation Sindoor demonstrated the Indian military’s strong coordination, combining precise tactics with advanced air defence systems similar to Israel’s ‘Iron Dome.’ The operation also highlighted indigenous technologies like the Akash missile defence system.

Recently, the armed forces tested Bhargavastra, a new low-cost counter-drone system that uses micro-rockets in ‘hard kill’ mode. These tests took place at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur, Odisha, and successfully met all objectives.

NDTV spoke with Dr. Prahlada Ramarao, a former DRDO scientist who developed the Akash system. He explained that Akash can intercept highly manoeuvrable aircraft, including the U.S.-made supersonic F-16 fighter jets that Pakistan operates.

Dr. Ramarao proudly shared his tagline for Akash: “Sara Akash Hamara,” meaning “the whole sky is ours.”

After the 100-hour India-Pakistan conflict, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised increasing indigenous defence production. He said, “If we buy defence equipment from other countries, we outsource our security and leave it in others’ hands. That cannot be a long-term solution.”

On April 22, terrorists linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba killed 26 people, mostly civilians, in Pahalgam, a tourist area in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack triggered widespread outrage.

Following initial non-military steps, including suspending the critical Indus Waters Treaty, India launched Operation Sindoor. The military conducted precision airstrikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Pakistani military warned India not to target their bases and against retaliation. In response, they fired drones and missiles at Indian military installations and civilian areas. India’s sophisticated air defence system, including indigenous Akash and Russian-made S-400 systems, intercepted or neutralised most attacks.

India then launched further precise strikes, destroying Pakistani radar systems and damaging air force bases. Islamabad responded by seeking a ceasefire.

In his first speech since Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned terrorists in Pakistan that India would strike again to protect its territory and citizens. He declared India’s approach to terrorism has permanently changed.

Modi also stated that India will not engage in talks with Pakistan on Kashmir except to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and arrange the return of illegally occupied Kashmir.