Here we finally have an estimate of how much we are spending in urgent requests. Well over $1 Bn across all 3 services - let& #39;s say $1.5Bn. To put that in context, IAFs budgeted capex for 2020-21 was $5.78Bn at Rs 75 to the $. Still think it& #39;s a big deal? https://theprint.in/defence/rifles-missiles-ammunition-drones-armed-forces-on-shopping-spree-amid-lac-tensions/461682/?amp&__twitter_impression=true">https://theprint.in/defence/r...

So the other bigger issue was what did budget for in 2020-21 was already committed to existing purchases. The situation for the IAF below, wouldnt have been that different for the other two services. https://www.google.com/amp/s/theprint.in/defence/iaf-needs-200-new-fighters-but-modi-govt-has-cut-funds-in-budget-2020/358347/%3famp">https://www.google.com/amp/s/the...

To a large extent this is because the Modi Govt allowed fast track purchases multiple times before in 2016, 2018, 2019, now 2020 plus the other big-ticket deals like the Rafale and S-400. The services started spending whatever they had, in time and frontloading future budgets.

What this does is it allows existing gaps to be made up to a degree. The existing combat aircraft inventory is imported, ergo emergency purchases will add spares, munitions for them. However, it does not add extra budgetary leeway to change the entire structure overnight.

So if your overall numbers are still "stuck", the next wave of big-ticket deals are not happening. Expect prioritized, pending orders like Tejas to be cleared but expensive MRCA is still far far away. Unless the GOI takes a policy decision to hike defence spending.

Which again brings us back to the original point - the forces need to go desi in a big way, to re-equip rapidly within existing budget. Ammo/artillery/platform/missile orders need to go DRDO/BEL/HAL/private. We simply can& #39;t afford $9-10 Bn deals for a mere 36 airframes.