Investigation Findings: Did defense spending experience a substantial growth during the UPA rule?

Congress website details budget allocation across several sectors, including Defense, during the UPA period. The question arises: Did Defense sector spending significantly rise under the UPA?

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2025 September 17 . 12:45 AM

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Rumor Evaluation: Did the Defense spending significantly rise under the UPA administration?

Investigation Findings: Did defense spending experience a substantial growth during the UPA rule?

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, during its tenure from 2004-2013, saw an increase in expenditure on national security and defense. However, the claim about this increase is deemed partly true.

In 2004-05, the allocation for the defense sector was 77,000 crore, which rose to 1,93,407 crore in 2012-13, marking an increase of approximately 1,16,407 crore. This substantial rise in allocation was a key point highlighted by the UPA.

However, it is essential to clarify that this figure represents the allocation, not the actual expenditure. The actual defense expenditure for the UPA was approximately 120 billion INR in 2004-05, increasing to around 250 billion INR in 2012-13.

It is worth noting that during the last nine years (both UPA 2 and the current government), the increase in allocation for the defense sector has been less than 12%. This suggests a relatively modest growth in defense spending compared to the claimed increase.

Moreover, in the last 19 years, the allocation increased by over 20% compared to the previous year only on three (3) occasions. This indicates a more gradual increase in defense spending over the past two decades.

Despite this, it is important to note that the allocation for the defense sector has been increasing every year, reflecting the government's commitment to strengthening national security. However, it is crucial to remember that the actual expenditure in 2012-13 was less than the allocation, suggesting a potential gap between planned and actual spending.

In conclusion, while the UPA did see an increase in defense expenditure during its tenure, it is essential to distinguish between the allocated funds and the actual spending. The claim about the increase in expenditure on national security and defense during the UPA rule is only partly true.