What India spends and who it pays.
The budget, the people and the reform still waiting.
The budget, line by line.
- Defence allocation, 2026-27
- ₹7.85 lakh crore, up 15.19% on 2025-26. 14.67% of central government spending. PIB, Budget 2026-27
- Capital outlay
- Over ₹2.19 lakh crore. Capital acquisition ₹1.85 lakh crore, about 24% more than last year. PIB, Budget 2026-27
- Bought at home
- ₹1.39 lakh crore. About 75% of the capital acquisition budget is reserved for Indian industry. PIB, Budget 2026-27
- Pensions and DRDO
- Pensions over ₹1.71 lakh crore. DRDO ₹29,100 crore, of which ₹17,250 crore is capital. PIB, Budget 2026-27
- Share of GDP
- About 2%. Spending in 2025-26 was about 1.9%. Business Standard, 1 Feb 2026
- World rank
- Fifth largest military spender in 2025 at US$92.1 billion. SIPRI, 27 Apr 2026
- Arms imports
- Second largest importer in 2021-25 with 8.2% of the world total, behind Ukraine. SIPRI, Mar 2026
One chief of staff. Theatres still waiting.
- Chief of Defence Staff
- Gen N.S. Raja Subramani is the third CDS and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs. He took over when Gen Anil Chauhan’s tenure ended on 30 May 2026. All India Radio, 9 May 2026
- Theatre commands
- Not yet approved. The Defence Secretary says the blueprint awaits approval at the highest level. Business Standard, 23 Oct 2026
- The proposal
- Northern (China), Western (Pakistan) and Maritime theatre commands with a Vice CDS, replacing 17 single-service commands. (reported) The Wire, 13 Jul 2026
- Coast Guard
- 155 ships and 80 aircraft at its 50th raising day. The target is 200 and 100 by 2030. All India Radio, 1 Feb 2026
- Agnipath
- Launched June 2022 with 25% of recruits retained. The services have proposed keeping more. The first four-year terms end from late 2026. Indian Express via Drishti, 11 Jul 2026