India’s Budget of Militarism: Guns, Tanks, and Missiles Over Citizens’ Lives

India’s Budget 2026–27 fully exposes the dangerous reality of a government obsessed with militarism and political showmanship while ignoring the real needs of its citizens. The numbers reveal a country that prioritizes weapons, tanks, missiles, and military expansion over health, education, sanitation, and jobs. Nearly 40 percent of Indians still rely on open spaces for basic sanitation, yet billions are poured into military hardware, proving that ordinary people come far behind tanks and guns. This budget is a loud declaration that India values intimidation, control, and power projection over citizen welfare, social justice, and regional peace, leaving the population struggling under economic stress.

Militarism Over Welfare

India has openly chosen military might over citizen welfare, diverting billions to weapons while millions remain deprived of schools, hospitals, and basic services. The 2026–27 budget clearly shows a government that believes guns bring security, not human development or fairness. While public hospitals collapse and education suffers, defence spending leaps, demonstrating misplaced priorities. Citizens continue to pay the cost of this obsession with militarism, as India celebrates tanks and missiles as achievements.

♦ A Budget Built on Militarism, Not Welfare : India has allocated a massive ₹7.85 lakh crore (USD 95.6 billion) to defence, a 15.3 percent increase from last year, revealing that the government believes military power outweighs the basic needs of its people.

♦ Defence Consumes Resources : With 13.45 percent of the Union Budget and almost 2 percent of GDP going to defence, schools, hospitals, and social protection remain underfunded, showing that guns and missiles are prioritized over human lives.

♦ Salaries Over Strategy : Around 55–60 percent of defence expenditure is spent on salaries and pensions, exposing a bloated, outdated army structure that values manpower over efficiency or modernisation.

Pension Burden and Wasted Spending

India’s defence pensions alone swallow enormous resources, leaving little for development or citizen support. The country spends ₹1.71 lakh crore (USD 21 billion) annually just on pensions, showing how constant military confrontations and deployments have become a heavy economic burden. Citizens continue to suffer unemployment, inflation, farmer debt, and inequality, proving that military spending benefits political image, not public welfare. The budget exposes a government obsessed with military prestige while ordinary Indians are left struggling for basics.

♦ ₹1.71 Lakh Crore Just for Pensions : Spending on defence pensions alone shows that India prioritizes military perks over public well-being, leaving social programs and citizen welfare starved.

♦ Modernisation Claims Collapse : Despite allocating ₹2.19 lakh crore (USD 26.7 billion) for weapons, defence as a share of GDP has fallen from 2.8 percent in 2009–10 to nearly 2 percent today, revealing empty claims of efficiency or strength.

♦ Tripled Defence, No Human Progress : Defence expenditure has risen from ₹2.29 lakh crore in 2014–15 to ₹7.85 lakh crore, yet unemployment, inflation, and inequality have worsened, proving this spending serves politics, not people.

Technology and Innovation Neglected

India talks about modern warfare and self-reliance, but the numbers tell the real story. Only ₹17,250 crore (USD 2.1 billion) is allocated for defence research and development, showing that genuine innovation and technology are ignored while slogans dominate. Local procurement budgets between ₹1.12–1.48 lakh crore fail to reduce dependence on foreign engines, aircraft, and equipment, proving “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” is marketing, not reality. Citizens continue to be denied basic services while India claims technological advancement.

♦ Technology Talk, Token Investment : Despite big talk about advanced warfare, India invests a tiny portion in research and development, exposing the gap between rhetoric and reality.

♦ Aatmanirbhar Is a Slogan : Local procurement allocations remain insufficient to achieve self-reliance, proving that India’s claims are largely symbolic.

♦ Army Dominates Because Reform Is Avoided : The Army alone receives ₹3.7–3.8 lakh crore, mainly for manpower, demonstrating India’s refusal to reform while wasting public money.

Fiscal Imbalance and Citizen Neglect

The 2026–27 budget pushes economic burden onto citizens while prioritizing weapons. With a fiscal deficit target of 4.3 percent of GDP and rising borrowing, India passes today’s military obsession onto future generations. Social sectors like health, education, and welfare are ignored, showing ordinary citizens rank far below tanks, missiles, and military projects. Poverty and inequality rise as resources are diverted away from real needs, revealing a government obsessed with control and force over public welfare.

♦ Fiscal Discipline Is a Fiction : Rising borrowing and massive defence allocations prove India prioritizes military obsession over ordinary people’s welfare.

♦ People Left Behind by Design : Defence spending grows while essential services stagnate, proving citizens are deliberately deprioritized.

♦ Toilets vs Tanks : With 40 percent of people still using open spaces for sanitation, the focus on weapons over toilets exposes a government dangerously out of touch with basic needs.

Regional Aggression and Militarized Politics

India’s budget shows a clear intent to dominate neighbours through military intimidation. Spending on missiles, drones, submarines, and border infrastructure signals that India uses aggression as a policy tool rather than pursuing regional peace. Public slogans like “Viksit Bharat by 2047” are contradicted by the real budget, showing an economy driven by fear, force, and propaganda. Citizens and neighbouring countries alike are left to bear the consequences of India’s aggressive militarism.

♦ Regional Aggression Written in Numbers : Investment in military infrastructure proves India prioritizes intimidation and dominance over regional cooperation.

♦ Militarized Politics : The budget favors weapons and aggression, showing India treats neighbours and smaller nations as targets for control rather than partners.

♦ Hollow Development Slogans : Grand promises of “Developed India” are contradicted by spending that fuels militarism, neglecting citizens’ rights and social needs.

Power, Not Welfare: How India Sacrifices People to Feed Military Obsession

India’s Budget 2026–27 is a declaration that power, intimidation, and military pride matter more than citizen welfare, human development, or justice. Tanks, missiles, and military hardware are prioritized over schools, hospitals, sanitation, and jobs. Ordinary citizens pay the cost of this obsession, while India uses military might to mask political failure and economic mismanagement. The budget proves beyond doubt that the government’s priorities are militarism first, citizens second, and development last.

♦ Power Over People : The budget prioritizes military strength over citizens’ basic needs, economic security, and social protection.

♦ Citizen Neglect Evident : Despite massive defence allocations, ordinary Indians continue to struggle with poverty, poor sanitation, and unemployment.

♦ Economic Imbalance Exposed : Defence dominates the budget while social sectors remain neglected, proving fear, force, and power are prioritized over development.