India on Thursday announced a hike of 7.81 % (1.58% of the GDP) in defense spending. As this may put the armed forces' big-ticket modernization plans in limbo, experts suggest it is high time India re-looked the way budget allocations are made for its defense sector
New Delhi — The Narendra Modi government's decision to maintain a near status-quo in the country's defense budget despite high-flying ambitions in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and perceived threats from adversaries has evoked strong reactions from analysts.
Experts say that the allocations are not only limited as compared to the urgent needs of the military but there is also an urgent need for a change in the way defense budget is managed.
"The whole system of defense allocation in India is flawed. We should have a roll on budget, a budget that does not lapse and it is critical to the management of Indian defense budget. The budget allocations need to be managed better in India. It must be specific to a head and the allocation should not be linked to the specific financial year," defense expert Lt Gen Shankar Prasad (Retd.) told Sputnik.
Another defense analyst Brahma Chellany echoed similar opinion on Twitter.
The modest increase unveiled in the budget means India's defense spending will now be just 1.58% of GDP—the lowest since China's 1962 invasion. But bigger defense outlays do not mean greater security. What matters is how the money is spent. India needs wiser (not bigger) spending— Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) February 1, 2018