Decluttering the defence budget

There is a need to streamline allocations and make the budgetary document less complicated to assess its true impact

In varied statements in public speeches and through press releases, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has propagated the message that the armed forces are adequately funded. He says that sizeable increases in the defence allocations ensure that the military’s manpower, weaponry, equipment and infrastructure are at the levels needed for taking on two-and-a-half adversaries — viz. China, Pakistan and internal turmoil in hotspots such as Kashmir and Manipur. But Mr Singh’s effort is given the lie by one simple factoid: The defence budget, including pensions to 2.5-3 million veterans, has for the first time in decades, fallen to below two per