Military Muscle Part Re Post-Border Tensions
The announcement comes after severe cross-border clashes in May that saw Pakistan and India carry out airstrikes, drone attacks and artillery strikes before agreeing to a ceasefire. It was one of the most serious military engagements between the two nuclear-armed countries in nearly three decades. The violence began after a deadly assault in the Indian-administered Kashmir town of Pahalgam on April 22. India blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied the accusation.
Strategic Orientation to Growth and Security
It seems like Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's budget aims at marrying economic growth initiatives and nation building and defence. The 20 per cent boost to defence was on the analysts' radar, and it is likely to be partially paid for by cuts elsewhere in development spending. Comparatively, India's own defence budget for 2025-2026 is $78.7bn, an almost 10 per cent increase and a hint at future growth.
