Question

For the year 2016-17, in terms of defence budget, what is India's ranking as compared to other countries of the world?
1. Second
2. Fourth
3. Fifth
4. Sixth

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : Fourth

The correct answer is Fourth.

• For 2016-17, India becomes the Fourth most spending country in the world on the defence budget.
• Defence budget allocation for the year 2015-16 was 2,46,727 crore whereas the allocation for the year 2016-17 is 2,58,589.3 crore an increase of less than 5 per cent over the budget estimate figures of the previous year.
• These calculations are based on the sum of defence expenditure (revenue), defence expenditure (capital) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) expenditure (miscellaneous) which amounts to the above figure of 2,58,589.3 crore.
• Defence pensions have not been added to this figure as they do not contribute to the maintenance and development of combat capability of the three services.
• These have never been taken into account in the past.
• This time to perhaps impress the public and the opposition regarding the BJP Government’s sympathy for the defence sector they are wanting all to believe that more is being done than earlier whereas the fact is that this time the increase in the defence budget is the least in the last about six decades since the 1962 war with China.