INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The budget for India's defence sector remained unchanged at Rs 3.18 lakh crore - the amount announced in the interim budget announced
The allocation - just 6.87 per cent above last year's figure and 1.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product of GDP - drew criticism from
the opposition and the defence industry.Industry sources pointed out that as a percentage of the GDP, this was the lowest allocation for the
defence sector since the 1962 war with China.Critics claimed the BJP has let down the armed forces after coming to power on a campaign built
around national security."#Budget2020 offers nothing to any section
It ignores critical sectors like Defence, has nothing for farmers
Shows the distress in Indian economy - lack of intent to improve things
Even 550th Prakash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji has got no allocation
Really disappointing," tweeted Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, a former army officer.The armed forces have been long overdue
for modernisation in equipment
Ms Sitharaman, who was the defence minister in the first term of the Narendra Modi government, exempted some defence equipment from basic
customs levy.But that was criticised by defence experts, who contended that it was the least and most obvious announcement that could have
been made for the sector."For a government that came into power on the basis of its national security pitch, they did not even feel the need
to indicate the amount of allocation for the sector," said C Uday Bhaskar, the Director at the Society for Policy Studies and Former
Director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.Major General (retired) Ashwani Siwach and former head of Territorial Army said
that the allotment is only 6 per cent more than last year's budget and it does not even cater for inflation."Defence sector does not have
enough money for modernisation and the defence budget should had been at least be 2 per cent of GDP versus the existing 1.6 per cent of GDP
to keep pace," Mr Siwach added.Experts within the defence industry also feel that since India faces significant security threats, defence
spending must rise in tandem with national growth, but that fails to happen.Defence expert Ajai Shukla said, "Defence spending is falling in
percentage terms even though military purchases are now subject to GST
This is levied at higher rates of 18-28 per cent."Get Breaking news, live coverage, and Latest News from India and around the world on
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