The budget document shows that defence outlay for 2019-20 would be Rs1,152 billion compared to Rs1,100 billion earmarked for the ongoing fiscal year. Also defence spending comes down to 27% from 31% in terms of the total size of the federal budget 2019-20. Taking into consideration all these expenditures, the total defence budget for this year in reality is Rs1,882 billion compared to Rs1,694 billion, showing an overall 11 per cent increase. The army, however, clarified that the voluntary cuts in the defence budget for a year would not be at the cost of defence and security. However, the size of Indian defence budget is six times bigger than the total outlay of Pakistan’s defence.

Source: The Express Tribune June 11, 2019 18:30 UTC