NEW DELHI – Indian Military seeks Rs 80,000 crore funds to face PakistanMilitary at land and sea borders, Indian media has reported.
The Indian Armed Forces want around Rs 80,000 crore more for modernisation,plugging critical operational gaps and paying ‘committed liabilities’ thisfinancial year, amidst heightened tensions with Pakistanlink along the land border andthe IndianOcean link Region, The EconomicTimes has reported.
Sources said the 13-lakh strong Army has projected an additionalrequirement of Rs 20,500 crore for capital expenditure, while the IAF hasasked for around Rs 40,000 crore more.
The Navy needs about Rs 20,000 crore at the revised estimate stage inDecember.
The Armed Forces contend they do not even have enough for ‘committedliabilities’ in the shape of instalments for arms deals inked in earlieryears, leave alone money for new modernisation projects.
The forces are grappling with critical shortages on several fronts, rangingfrom fighter jets, submarines and helicopters to modern infantry weapons,155mm howitzers and ammunition.[image: ET Prime]link
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The overall defence outlay in the 2019-2020 budget was pegged at Rs 3.18lakh crore, with Rs 2.10 lakh crore revenue expenditure for salaries andday-to-day running costs outstripping the Rs 1.08 lakh crore for capitalexpenditure by far.
