ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has increased its defence budget in response to the evolving regional security challenges and to maintain peace and security in the region in an environment of massive Indian military build-up and aggressive force posture, hostile Afghanistan and lingering terrorist threat.
The enhanced allocation aims to strengthen national defence capabilities amid growing security concerns along its borders.
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday presented the crisis management budget in the National Assembly, with a total outlay of Rs18.7 trillion for the fiscal year 2026-27.
In its FY26-27 Budget, Pakistan has allocated Rs3 trillion for defence, compared to Rs2.56 trillion in the previous fiscal year, to ensure a strong defence and modernise and reinforce military capabilities amid shifting regional dynamics.
Pakistan has increased its defence spending in light of evolving regional security dynamics and heightened geopolitical tensions.
“Defence spending has been increased considerably to make the country invincible due to the uncertainty in the region,” Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in his budget speech.
Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security analyst, said that “Indian defence budget is almost eight times bigger than Pakistan despite this year’s proposed defence budget increase.”
“Increasing Pakistani defence budget was essential to maintain peace and security in the region in an environment of massive Indian military build-up, high-tech acquisition spree, aggressive force posture, hostile Afghanistan and lingering terrorist threat,” Ali said.
“Indian procurement and inductions after the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict have increased significantly, which Pakistan cannot ignore while Islamabad faces major security threats on three active fronts of India, Afghanistan and terrorism.”
“Pakistani armed forces are undergoing a process of technological transformation by gradually reducing manpower towards a highly sophisticated force posture and technology-intensive capabilities required for the rapidly changing character of warfare and multi-domain operations.” Ali further explained.
