Defence spending, foreign buys decline aircrafts

India's defence spend has declined as a share of GDP and government expenditure, alongside a parallel drop in foreign acquisitions in capital defence purchases

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Updated On: Sep 08 2025 | 6:18 PM IST

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India’s defence spending, as a percentage of the GDP has decreased from 2.25 per cent in 2014-15 to 1.91 per cent in 2024-2025. Along with this, there has also been a drop in the share of foreign procurement in capital defence purchases, especially from 2018-19 onwards, with share of foreign procurement being at approximately 49 per cent in 2018-19 declining by more than half at 12.4 per cent in the previous financial year uptil December 2024. With the post-World War II global order in disarray since the start of US President Donald Trump’s second term in January, and with two adversarial neighbours, one way India can safeguard its interests is through strategic bilateral relations.

India has defence ties with four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council —Russia, France, the United States and the United Kingdom. All four support India’s bid for a seat at the high table. The three Western powers need India to balance the rise of the other UNSC permanent member, China.

India has historical defence ties with Russia and growing security relations with Israel. France has emerged as India’s strongest partner in the European Union. These relations helped India during its four-day military clash with Pakistan that was triggered by a targeted terrorist attack in the Indian town of Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 people were killed.

While India’s era of nonalignment is long over, the country has maintained its strategic autonomy by not entering any formal military alliance. India must continue to deepen selective ties, foreign policy experts say.

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