India's defense spending hits record high in FY25-26
India's Ministry of Defence spent 62% of its annual capital budget in just eight months this year—a pace not seen since 2019.
By November 2025, over ₹1.1 lakh crore had already been used out of a ₹1.8 lakh crore budget, a sharp rise from previous years.
Why should you care?
This jump in spending is all about ramping up security after the Pahalgam terror attack last April.
Operation Sindoor kicked off soon after, leading to emergency procurements and milestone payments for big-ticket items as part of broader modernization efforts, including Rafale aircraft from France and new Tejas fighters from HAL.
It shows India is investing heavily to modernize its military and respond faster to emerging threats—something that could shape the country's future security and tech landscape.