India cuts MoD acquisition budget

摘要

India's federal government has imposed a INR100 billion (USD1.8 billion) cut to the Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) acquisition budget for the current financial year, ending in March, further postponing long-awaited acquisitions and force modernisation. Military sources said this 12.5% reduction from the sanctioned INR795.79 billion outlay for materiel procurements will further defer the acquisition of 126 Dassault Rafale fighters, 197 light observation helicopters, six multirole tanker transports, and 145 BAE Systems M777 towed 155 mm/39-calibre howitzers.