India is looking at a year divided between an Interim Budget 2019 on 1st February 2019 and a full-fledged Budget 2019-20 post-July this year. Given the latest development on the defence side, wherein China's President Xi Pin has alert its defence armed forces to be combat-ready, and the relations with Pakistan too can be called something but pleasant, the Defence Budget for 2019 has to be put onward and the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy be fixed enough budget to ensure their Projects are sufficiently funded.
The Indian Army has time and again pointed at the fact that nearly 68% of its equipment is behind the times. Although, count as the world's third largest army, it is blemished by importance to update and improve its equipment, weapons, and guns.
Currently, India spends around 1.6% of its GDP on the defence budget, which is far further than China that spends 2.1% and Pakistan that's expenses even more at 2.36% of its GDP per annum. Also, around 85% of the Defence budget is currently spent on meeting human resource expenses that leaves a narrow room for up gradation of war armaments.
Budget 2019-20 is particularly critical for the Defence forces to carry on with procuring the advanced technology that'll arm its people in times of utmost need.
The BJP government has time and again boast about how it has empowered the Indian Army and the defence forces in general. Surgical strikes after Uri Attacks, procurement of missile loaded Rafale aircraft, strong foothold at Doklam at Indo-China border are some of the down the ruling BJP flaunts in its cap.
BJP President Amit Shah had quoted that his party will fight General Elections 2019 on the grounds of development, defence, and self-respect of the country. Given BJPs significance towards a strong Defence force, it is only to wait and watch how FM Arun Jaitley structures the Defence Budget in the Interim Budget 2019.