Pakistan's actual spending on defence during fiscal 2012-13 may be as high as Rs 913 billion, almost double the official allocation of Rs 545 billion.
A near billion-dollar arms and defence equipment procurement deal between Bangladesh and China may raised eyebrows in New Delhi while giving ground to the belief of China's "strategic encirclement" of India. However, the present government of Bangladesh has been trying to modernise its defence not only with arms from China, but also from countries like Russia and other countries in recent years.
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day on Tuesday after the proceedings were stalled by verbal clashes between the Opposition and Treasury benches over the fresh affidavit filed by the government in the SC on defence purchases.
While the corporate sector has benefited from massive capital expenditure, leading to sky-rocketing stock prices, investors would do well to keep an eye on the macroeconomic picture and government finances, not just corporate profits, for signs of trouble, alerts Debashis Basu.
Officers responsible for preparing budgets say their detailed costing projections are mostly ignored. The defence ministry simply takes the previous year's budgetary allocations for each service and adds a small percentage to those.
The mere increase of Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion) over the last year's budgeting with a nominal hike in capital spending will not suffice to accomplish this vital objective of national security.
The defence secretary was responding to a question from Congressman Joe Wilson, a friend of India in the Congress who, of late, has been critical of India deciding to take an independent position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Budget today.
As the DefenceExpo gets underway in Goa, Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd) says the proposed Defence Procurement Procedure 2016 should ensure that the Indian defence industry is on the path to design, develop and make in India.
Against a turbulent and uncertain background, Budget 2017-18 hewed a steady, forward-looking course, says Shankar Acharya, former chief economic adviser to the government.
Converting what was supposed to be an interim budget or a vote on account into an almost full-fledged budget announcement in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal proposed an array of incentives for both middle-class and farmers, whose disenchantment was said to have cost the BJP dearly in recent assembly elections.
The allocations for military have been made while outlays on the development and non-development budgets have been slashed by 50 per cent and 20 per cent respectively to create fiscal space for rehabilitating the flood-affected population.
How much are others responsible for the Trump presidency moving in the directions it has, asks T N Ninan.
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The Hinduja brothers, who top Britain's rich list, said in a statement that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's Budget had set the direction for a 'very positive long-term agenda'.
The budget, presented by Finance Minister Thomas Issac, focused on infrastructure development, strengthening of social welfare measures, steps to enhance safety of women, giving impetus to public education and health. It is the second budget by the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF after it came to power last year.
The Budget has evoked mixed reactions from Silicon Valley investors.
According to an Andhra government statement, Naidu 'reposed confidence' in the PM's leadership.
Finance minister attempts a clean-up job, keeps projected expenditure growth low.
India's per capita expenditure on defence is less than $10, while the average expenditure of the top ten spenders in Asia is $800 approximately.
Noting the actions and capabilities of the Chinese side, the IAF chief said, "They had brought their J-20 fighter aircraft (to areas close to Eastern Ladakh) and they go off from there but that is the flexibility of airpower. The moment Indian Rafales were brought in, their J-20 was there. We know their actions and capabilities and we are taking the required steps."
Minister of state for defence, Rao Inderjit Singh, on Thursday asked the armed forces to "prioritise" their requirements in the view of the limited budget and also spend the allocated money efficiently.
'An expanding army, rising salaries due to the 7th pay commission, and raised pensions due to OROP are consuming money at the cost of badly needed bulletproof jackets, rifles, artillery, submarines, warships and fighter aircraft,' notes Ajai Shukla.
After cost inflation, this year's allocation will buy significantly less than last year's, says Ajai Shukla
If this Budget was not packaged and sold as a Budget for the poor and for farmers, Narendra Modi would have lost the next election.
India will replace its military personnel operating three aviation platforms in the Maldives with 'competent' Indian technical personnel even as New Delhi asserted that it remained an important development partner of the island nation.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented his maiden budget last week in which he vowed to contain fiscal deficit at 4.1 per cent this year and lower it to 3 per cent by 2016-17.
The DG said that the previous government was wary of constructing roads near the Line of Actual Control.
The end goal of defence procurement should be not import or indeginisation but securing the country through able and ready armed forces, says Air Marshal P V Athawale (retd)
US President Barack Obama signed a US $ 680-billion defence budget bill that provides US $ 2.3 billion military assistance to Pakistan with tough conditions to make sure that the funds are not squandered or diverted to affect the "balance of power in the region".
Ironically, rival Tamil Nadu governments expend the most on social welfare schemes, especially targeting women and youth and children, but that money comes only by selling more liquor. There is always the specious plea, which has been peddled very many times in the past, that without licensed liquor, drinkers would go after hooch and there could be more hooch tragedies and hooch deaths. No one is convinced, but no one can dispute it either, comments N Sathiya Moorthy.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the fiscal deficit slippage this financial year (2017-18) was largely statistical.
Jaitley praised the DRDO saying it was "doing quite a lot to meet the requirements of the armed forces but the Services need much more and that will come through domestic industry."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said swift and transparent decision-making and availability of optimal resources were needed for a country's combat readiness.
'On the tax front, most of the Budget proposals are sensible'.
The corridor is expected to attract around Rs 1,250 billion investment and create 4,00,000 jobs. It will start from Mysore, pass through Bengaluru in Karnataka, to connect with Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem and Tiruchy in Tamil Nadu.
One hopes in his next term, Narendra Modi will take up the mission of inculcating respect for following rules in Indians as a mission. Therein lies the chance for India to become a developed country, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
According to an Assocham survey, India Inc is not expecting much for itself in the upcoming Budget. The Budget is most likely to benefit the common man.
'This prime minister thinks he knows everything.' 'He has to consult, he has to talk and he has to mobilise the best people, but having seen him function, I have no expectations from him.'
'The Raksha Mantri's day at sea'/
