Defence Budget May Get ₹50,000 Cr Boost After Operation Sindoor: Sources
The government is likely to allocate an additional ₹50,000 crore for defence spending post-Operation Sindoor, aiming to bolster India’s military capabilities and indigenous defence production.
The Indian defence budget could see a significant boost with a ₹50,000 crore supplementary provision in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament, sources said. The proposal comes days after Operation Sindoor — India’s precise, cross-border counter-terror operation — and is intended to ramp up procurement of weapons, ammunition, and defence technologies.
If approved, the total defence budget for FY2025–26 could exceed ₹7.3 lakh crore, setting a new record in military expenditure.
According to senior officials, the additional funds will be directed toward critical needs identified during Operation Sindoor, including replenishment of ammunition stockpiles, procurement of next-gen defence platforms, and advancing research and development under ‘Make in India’.
“The emphasis will be on strategic systems, enhanced firepower, and modernisation of all three services,” an official involved in the planning told The Headliner.
In the Union Budget 2025–26, the government allocated ₹6.81 lakh crore for defence — a 9.53% hike from the previous year and nearly triple the allocation made in 2014–15 (₹2.29 lakh crore). The defence share now stands at 13.45% of the total Union Budget.
The proposed supplementary grant will further reinforce India’s position as one of the world’s top military spenders.
Operation Sindoor, conducted on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, saw Indian forces successfully target nine terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir without crossing the Line of Control.
India’s multi-layered air defence system — combining the S-400 ‘Triumf’, Barak-8, and indigenous Akash systems — intercepted almost all hostile drones and missiles during the four-day engagement.
Additionally, older systems such as Pechora, OSA-AK, and low-level air defence (LLAD) guns were deployed, showing both depth and resilience in India’s defence infrastructure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised India’s defence preparedness and indigenous capabilities following the operation.
“During this operation, the credibility of our Made-in-India weapons was firmly established. The world now recognises that the time for Made-in-India defence equipment in 21st-century warfare has arrived,” Modi said on May 12.
The Ministry of Defence is expected to table the proposal for supplementary budget approval in the Winter Session. Defence analysts say this signals a long-term shift in India’s approach.
