ISLAMABAD: An increase in India’s defense spending is not likely to change Islamabad’s defense strategy toward its eastern neighbor and arch-rival, Pakistani analysts said, as India on Saturday unveiled its annual budget for fiscal 2020-21.

India’s defense budget is set at 3.23 trillion rupees ($45.45 billion) for 2020/21, a six percent rise from last year. The hike comes at a time when the Indian economy is growing at its slowest since the 2008 global financial crisis.

“This [defense budget increase] will hardly make any difference to Pakistan as New Delhi is required to spend millions of dollars to replace its old weapons, aircrafts and other equipment,” defense expert Major General (r) Ejaz Awan told Arab News on Sunday.

India’s air force desperately needs hundreds of combat planes and helicopters to replace its Soviet-era aircraft while the navy has long planned for a dozen submarines to counter the expanding presence of the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean.

The army, a large part of which is deployed on the border with traditional foe Pakistan, has been seeking everything from assault rifles to surveillance drones and body armor.

But these plans have been on hold for years because governments have not been able to set aside large sums and most of the defense expenditure goes on salaries and pensions for a 1.4 million standing military, the world’s second-largest after China.

In August last year, India revoked the special autonomous status of the disputed Kashmir region and imposed a lockdown and Internet blackout to suppress protests, pouring in thousands of troops and police. 

“India’s defense expenditure over the years has increased manifold due to its misadventures in Kashmir,” Awan said. “The country will have to spend a part of its budget increase to overcome low-intensity conflicts in Kashmir and within its borders.”

“India has been investing a major portion of its defense budget on strengthening its navy as it desires to create a monopoly over the Indian ocean,” security analyst Lt. Gen. (r) Amjad Shoaib said, adding that this was unlikely to impact Pakistan’s security and war preparedness.

Pakistan last year announced that its defense budget for the next fiscal year (2019-20) would remain the same as last year’s at Rs. 1,150 billion.