Will do whatever it takes to support defense forces: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his government is fully backing the armed forces, promising, "we will do whatever it takes to support our defense forces and strengthen them."
His message comes as India faces rising tensions with Pakistan.
Defence budget announced
Modi just announced a record ₹7.85 lakh crore defense budget for 2026-27—a 15% jump from last year.
A significant portion of the budget is earmarked for modernisation and capital expenditure—₹1.85 lakh crore for modernisation and nearly ₹2.2 lakh crore as capital expenditure for the three services, with about 75% of the latter reserved for procurement from domestic defense industries.
He pointed out that India's defense exports have soared to ₹23,000 crore in the past decade, showing real progress on self-reliance.
Criticism of previous governments
Modi also highlighted fulfilling promises to ex-servicemen, like finally implementing One-Rank-One-Pension and improving healthcare for veterans.
He didn't hold back on criticizing previous governments for not delivering on these issues.
Push comes after Operation Sindoor
This push comes after Operation Sindoor—a military operation which targeted militant camps in both Pakistan-administered Kashmir and inside Pakistan, including sites in Punjab province, and which Indian officials said did not target civilian or military infrastructure, a claim disputed by Pakistani sources.