Indian Defence budget raised by 34 per cent

[idune]

Regardless of any estimate or justification, indian defense budget is not for defense of india. India already has overwhelming superiority over all its neighbors except China. Only indian hegemonic intent justifies such staggering increase in defense budget. Now indian neighbors can expect more aggressive and repressive actions from india.

 

[RPK]

Regardless of any estimate or justification, indian defense budget is not for defense of india. India already has overwhelming superiority over all its neighbors except China. Only indian hegemonic intent justifies such staggering increase in defense budget. Now indian neighbors can expect more aggressive and repressive actions from india.

I don't think so, any Indian aggression will happen with neighbors in short or medium term. Since GoI is mainly focussed on Economy development.

 

[third eye]

What sort of contributions are you looking for?

At the end of the day, its India's own business how much it wants to spend on 'guns vs butter'.

I piped in to clarify incorrect numbers with regards to Pakistan's defence budget, but beyond that I see no need to interject.

I found it strange for Indians to be discussing the Indian Def Budget on a Pak forum.

 

[third eye]

Regardless of any estimate or justification, indian defense budget is not for defense of india. India already has overwhelming superiority over all its neighbors except China. Only indian hegemonic intent justifies such staggering increase in defense budget. Now indian neighbors can expect more aggressive and repressive actions from india.

You have just contradicted yourself.

Also defence applications are also beyond the realm of neighbourhood, these need funding too.

 

[insas91]

Regardless of any estimate or justification, indian defense budget is not for defense of india. India already has overwhelming superiority over all its neighbors except China. Only indian hegemonic intent justifies such staggering increase in defense budget. Now indian neighbors can expect more aggressive and repressive actions from india.

Defence budget not for defence. Hmm. Then what is it for? I believe GOI is trying to stick with Finance Ministry's recommendation of 3% of GDP.

You are forgetting idune the sheer size of the Indian armed forces. Maintaining and upgrading world's largest army, 4th largest airforce, 5th largest navy is no child's play.

 

[idune]

You have just contradicted yourself.

Also defence applications are also beyond the realm of neighbourhood, these need funding too.

You have not understood what I stated. So let me help you - indian justification for defense budget increase is just pretext for hegemonic intent. This stagging increase does not required considering its weaker neighbors and any attempt will to catch up to China is just a pointless waste of money. So ultimately its neighbors will stand to suffer from more of indian aggressive and repressive hegemonic actions.

Any if your suggestion is any indication, countries beyond indian neighborhood should watch out for indian hegemonic intent.

 

[insas91]

Forces nudged to shop more
BS Reporter / July 07, 2009, 3:35 IST

Army, Navy, Air Force returned Rs 7,000 crore in 2008-09



The footprints of the Sixth Pay Commission were evident all over the outlay for the defence forces: Up from Rs 1,14,600 crore in 2008-09 (revised estimates) to Rs 1,41,703 crore in 2009-10), an increase of about 34 per cent over the previous fiscal.

Of this increase, pensions, which have gone up as a result of the Pay Commission’s award, account for about Rs 5,000 crore: From the budget estimate in 2008-09 of nearly Rs 15,600 crore, pensions went up to Rs 20,233 crore in the revised estimates, and have been allocated Rs 21,790 crore in the current budget. Salaries have also gone up: From Rs 54,560 crore in 2008-09 to Rs 81,388 crore in 2009-10.

The services have returned unutilised nearly Rs 7,000 crore because they did not buy equipment they had earlier provided for. In 2008-09, the capital outlay was Rs 48,007 crore. But as plans to procure the light utility helicopters and 155mm artillery guns did not materialise, the services gave the money back to the government.

As always, the Army and Air Force were responsible for the biggest quantum of money allocated towards equipment, returned unspent. The Army was allocated Rs 8,345 crore for equipment but spent only Rs 6,268 crore. The Air Force was allocated Rs 6,290 crore and spent nearly Rs 1,000 crore less, at Rs 5,151 crore.

The capital outlay for the Armed Forces for 2009-10 has been fixed at Rs 54,824 crore.

The increase in defence outlay this year amounts to Rs 36,103 crore over last year’s allocation of Rs 1,05,600 crore, and is to speed up procurement of defence equipment and plug the security gaps exposed by the r. Last year, the outlay was increased just 10 per cent over the Rs 96,000 crore defence budget allocated in 2007-08.

India's defence spending is still at about 2 per cent of the GDP, compared to China’s 7 per cent and Pakistan’s 5 per cent.

After the Mumbai attacks, the government also initiated a massive revamp of the nation’s security structure, which includes creation of a Coastal Command and entrusting overall responsibility for maritime security with the Navy and integrating activities of all sea-faring ministry and departments including Petroleum, Shipping, and Fisheries.

It also approved the Coast Guard’s request for purchase of fast patrol craft for securing the long-winding 7,417-km coastline and to hire helicopters for maritime reconnaissance. But despite this, the Coast Guard returned nearly Rs 200 crore unspent. It was allocated Rs 947 crore in 2008-09 and managed to spend only Rs 700 crore. It has been allocated Rs 1,904 crore in the current budget.The budget also proposed the one rank, one pension scheme for ex-Servicemen. “Our country owes a deep debt of gratitude to our valiant ex-Servicemen. The Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary its report and the recommendations of the Committee have been accepted,” Mukherjee said.

On the basis of these recommendations, the Government has decided to improve the pension of pre-January 1, 2006 defence pensioners below officer rank and bring pre-October 10, 1997 pensioners on par with later pensioners. Both these decisions will be implemented from July 1, 2009, resulting in enhanced pension for more than 1.2 million jawans and JCOs. These measures will cost the exchequer more than Rs.2,100 crore annually. Certain pension benefits being extended to war wounded and other disabled pensioners are also being liberalised.

 

[notting hill]

NH:

My figures, as I mentioned, were from the 2008-2009 budget numbers from the governments budget website - depending upon the exchange rate given the depreciation of the rupee from 65 - 80+ per dollar, the defence budget works out to be about 2.75% of GDP, and about 14% of the total budget.

For the 2009-2010 budget, the total budget is 2.9 trillion with a defence budget of 343 billion = 11.7% of total budget. That is a pretty significant drop in terms of the defence budget as a proportion of the total budget.

Using the current exchange rate of 1 USD =80 Rs. - 343 Billion Rs. = 4.2 billion USD.

Pakistan's estimated GDP for 2008 (per CIA site quoted earlier by fateh) = 160.9 billion USD.

Defence budget as a proportion of GDP: 2.61%. Which is also a drop from last years 2.75%.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/PK.html

I should correct my last post - it is not only the Indian media that bandies these high defence spending figures about, some commentators in the Pakistani media do it as well.

The motive for the Pakistani commentators lies in the love hate relationship with the Army many commentators and intellectuals enjoy, primarily because of the many years of military rule Pakistan has seen. Because the scars from those years are still fresh for many of these people, Army bashing is a favorite past time.

The Ahmed Qureishi article you quoted uses numbers for 2003-2004, which are quite old.

Beyond that, you have to distinguish between defence spending as a percentage of GDP and defence spending as a percentage of the total budget (as Fateh pointed out already) - you are mixing and matching the two numbers.

Thx for the reply .. i had already figured out the difference as would indicate from my last post .. just quoting doesn't always help.. does it???.. i didn't have the GDP figures with me the last time... quoting even senior IMF officials sometimes is utter nonsense..

 

[Spitfighter]

Why not just spend 3% on defense? given our threat perception, we should have been spending 3% a long time ago.

Whatever they do, I hope there isn't one penny left at the end of the year, India cannot afford to have such a lackadaisical approach towards its defense. We need to build and acquire all that we can.

 

[devd]

I agree, secutiry should be on high priority. but i guess now a days economic development is more important . because the money comes from economic, so more you put into economic more you get out of it and more you will be able to spare for the defence budget, so in my thinking it wolud be wise to put more money in economy at this time.

 

[amarnath]

Why not just spend 3% on defense? given our threat perception, we should have been spending 3% a long time ago.

Whatever they do, I hope there isn't one penny left at the end of the year, India cannot afford to have such a lackadaisical approach towards its defense. We need to build and acquire all that we can.

Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes … known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.… No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.India has to continue spending on defense as we are in much complicated gegraphical area, Having both pakistan and china around us, Both nuke aresenal

 

[amarnath]

I agree, secutiry should be on high priority. but i guess now a days economic development is more important . because the money comes from economic, so more you put into economic more you get out of it and more you will be able to spare for the defence budget, so in my thinking it wolud be wise to put more money in economy at this time.

To Have a steady growth in economy we need safety to protect, So even If the economic growth is in the ration 2:3 with that of military, it works fine... Coz we need a steady groth ,not a fast one... We should be assured of that growth, rather than just hoping for it...