Defense budget in 2025-26 will increase 9.5 percent to Rs 6.81 lakh crore: Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh

Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has said that in the defense budget 2025-26, the current 6.21 lakh crore will increase from Rs 6.81 lakh crore to 9.5 percent.

Rajesh Kumar Singh said, “The defense budget of the current year was Rs 6.21 lakh crore, which will increase 9.5 percent to Rs 6.81 lakh crore in 2025-26. We should spend 30 billion dollars per year in the next decade as part of modernization. Of this CAPEX budget, 75 percent of domestic sources have been kept for purchase and 25 percent of it is kept for domestic private industry. ,

he/she further stated that foreign direct investment (FDI) policy and exemption in industrial licensing process are other elements that will promote increase in defense industry.

he/she further said that the total value of domestic production in India has reached 1.27 lakh crore in 2023-24 and exports have increased to 21,000 crores, which is 30x jump in the last 10 years.

“It is very clear that the defense industry in India is in large -scale expansion put. India’s current industrial ecosystem, including 16 defense PSUs, 430 licensed companies and around 16,000 MSMEs, is the column of this extended industrial base. Our focus should be on reducing the obstacles of entry, as I had earlier mentioned, for new players and for new techniques so that our defense industrial ecosystem is adaptive, tight and quick response to the changing nature of future warfare Be able to give, as we have in recent geo -political conflicts, ”he/she further said.

Earlier, Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Monday that India is looking at US President Donald Trump’s F -35 fighter jets with an “open mind” to offer to sell India.

Speaking to ANI, Singh clarified that the proposal has not been formally made and that the US would discover a roadmap to provide F -35.

“This is not yet a proposal. he/she (Trump) said that he/she would look at a roadmap to provide (F -35). We will look at the proposal after becoming a firm offer. In any case, we are procured through a process … making an option is important for us and we will see it with an open mind.

he/she further emphasized that India’s procurement process will guide any future decisions, stating that the Ministry of Defense has a purchase plan.

he/she mentioned that India has a large acquisition budget of Rs 1,80,000 crore for the next financial year and Rs 1,60,000 crore for the current year, which will be used for various purchases.

“The Ministry of Defense has a purchase plan for the types of things you mentioned (fighter planes, submarines and missiles). But obviously it will be declared only after the completion of the purchase process … Yes, there are plans … Obviously, India has a huge acquisition budget of Rs 1,80,000 crore for the next financial year and this financial year For about Rs 1,60,000 crore for. The year and we will intend to use them through these purchases, ”said the Defense Secretary.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to America, while addressing a joint press conference, US President Donald Trump said that the United States would increase defense sales with India with billions of dollars. he/she said that his/her administration is paving the way to provide India with F -35 aircraft.