Explore Business Standard
Defence Expenditure
China on Tuesday increased its defence budget by 7.2 per cent to USD 232 billion as it continues with the massive modernisation of its military amid prevailing tensions over Taiwan, the disputed South China Sea as well as border frictions with India. China, which is the second highest spender on defence after the US, has allocated 1.67 trillion yuan (about USD 232 billion) for defence spending. The increase in terms of the percentage was the same as last year. China last year hiked its defence budget by 7.2 per cent to 1.55 trillion yuan (about USD 225 billion), marking the eighth consecutive year of increase in its military spending. Like its previous budgets, this year's defence budget of China was almost three times higher than that of India. India's defence allocation this year amounted to Rs 6,21,541 crore (about USD 74.8 billion). China has simmering territorial disputes with some of its neighbours. China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the ...
India on Wednesday announced a fresh list of 98 military hardware including complex systems, sensors, weapons and ammunition that will only be only be procured from domestic industry after a ban on their import kicks in under a staggered time-line. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made the announcement about the fifth positive indigenisation list at the 'Swavlamban 2.0' seminar organised by the Indian Navy. The key items included in the list are futuristic infantry combat vehicle, remotely piloted airborne vehicles (up to 25 km range with payload of 2 kg for Army), shipborne unmanned aerial system, medium upgrade low endurance class tactical drone, next generation low-level light radar for Army and electro optic fire control system for naval platforms. The list also comprised armour plates for cabin nose section for Mi-17 helicopter, multifunction aviation ground equipment for Air Force, gravity rollers for Mi-17 V5 helicopter and flares of P-8I and MiG 29-K aircraft. The new "positi