As a country that is playing an increasingly important role in the world, India has a duty to modernise its defence sector in line with current realities, Modi said in an exclusive interview to PTI.
Citing the allocation of Rs 7.85 lakh crore to the defence sector in the Union Budget 2026-27, the prime minister said the outlay is 15 per cent higher than the previous budget and is also the “biggest chunk” given to any ministry or department.
Since day one, the government has been clear — it will do whatever it takes to support the country’s defence forces and strengthen them, he said.
Modi said the Indian armed forces must be equipped with the best of Indian innovation and industry as technology is reshaping the world and that the NDA government has been working on modernisation and self-reliance in this sector for the last 11 years.
On Operation Sindoor, the prime minister said the entire country is proud of the courage shown by the armed forces.
“During the operation, one could see the benefits of the reforms we have undertaken in the last decade. Therefore, defence budgets, modernisation, etc., all these are parts of our continuous effort and need not be linked to any particular issue,” he said in the written interview.The prime minister was asked if the higher budgetary allocation to the defence sector was part of the lessons learnt from Operation Sindoor and does it also signal a continued mistrust of India’s neighbours, including Pakistan.
“Yes, the reality is that our country has to be strong and be prepared at all times, and that is what we are doing,” he said.
Modi said the modernisation of the armed forces has been a priority of his government.
“In this year’s budget, a record Rs 7.85 lakh crore have been allocated to the defence sector. This is 15 per cent higher than the previous budget and is also the biggest chunk allotted to any ministry or department,” he said.
“If you look at the details, too, there are noteworthy aspects. For modernisation, Rs 1.85 lakh crore have been allotted, which is 25 per cent above last year’s allocation,” he said.
Modi said the capital expenditure allotment for the three forces is almost Rs 2.2 lakh crore, of which 75 per cent is reserved for procurement from domestic defence industries.
“This not only enhances security but also creates jobs and strengthens our industrial base. The results are already visible — defence exports have crossed Rs 23,000 crore, a nearly 35-fold rise in the past decade, and indigenous defence production has touched record levels,” he said.
The prime minister said the government has been “very sensitive” to the well-being of the ex-servicemen.
“Hence, the allotment for the healthcare scheme exceeds Rs 12,000 crore. In percentage terms, it is a 45-per cent rise. But there is something more that I wish to place on record…,” he said.
“Since day one, our government has been clear — we will do whatever it takes to support our defence forces and strengthen them. Yes, this year’s allocation is a record high, but viewing it in isolation only provides a limited perspective,” Modi said.
The prime minister noted that it was the NDA government that fulfilled the four-decade-long demand for OROP (One-Rank-One-Pension).
“It is one of our biggest tragedies that those who ruled the country for decades used the defence sector only to enrich their own pockets, as evidenced by the number of defence-related scams during their tenure,” he said in an indirect criticism of the previous Congress governments.
Modi also highlighted his government’s push for defence modernisation.
“We have been working on modernisation and self-reliance in this sector for the last 11 years. See the number of startups working in this sector now,” he said.
“We believe in giving Indian talent the opportunity to support our forces and contribute to a stronger India,” he added.
