New Delhi: Emphasising the importance of border infrastructure and management, the union budget 2025-26 announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday witnessed an increase of 32.89 per cent in its allocation.
The total outlay for border infrastructure and management increased sharply from Rs 3756.51 crore to Rs 5597.25 crore in 2025-26.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), including union territories, has also received a budget allocation of Rs 233210.68 crore for 2025-26, compared to the total budget of Rs 219643.31 crore announced in 2024-25 marking a significant increase of Rs 13,567.37 crore.
The increased allocation kept focus on securing international borders, improving checkposts, and enhancing surveillance infrastructure among others.
“The increase in budgetary allocation shows India’s concern over maintaining its internal security as well as keeping its border safe,” said renowned security expert Brigadier (Retd) BK Khanna to ETV Bharat.
Given the present situation along India’s border in the east and west, it was expected that the budgetary allocation would witness a sharp increase.
The budget allocation for National Security Council Secretariat, as well as all the central paramilitary forces including Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guard (NSG), Assam Rifles (AR), Shashastra Seema Bal (SSB) also witnessed an increase in their allocation.
The Central Armed Police Forces’ (CAPF) funding rose from Rs 96950.12 crore (2024-25) to Rs 109037.05 crore (2025-26), emphasising better infrastructure, weapons, and training.
The Delhi Police has received an increase of Rs 751.33 crore, bringing its total allocation to Rs 11,931.66 crore in 2025-26 ensuring better law enforcement in the national capital.
Similarly, the Jammu & Kashmir Police, facing ongoing security challenges, saw a rise in funding from Rs Rs 9,325.73 crore in 2025-26. The allocated funds in the revised budget for 2024-25 was Rs 8,665.94 crore.
Forensic and cybercrime prevention efforts have also been prioritised. Investment in forensic infrastructure rose significantly, with Rs 500 crore earmarked for ‘modernisation of forensic capabilities’, compared to just Rs 150 crore last year.
The ‘Modernisation of Police Forces’ received a boost, with Rs 4,069.24 crore allocated, reflecting the government’s focus on equipping law enforcement with advanced technology.
“With such an increased allocation in the budget, the government showcased its importance in its police forces, strengthening internal security, border management, and forensic capabilities,” Brigadier Khanna said.
However, several significant components of the home ministry also witnessed a decrease in the budgetary allocation of the home ministry.
The scheme named ‘Support to poor prisoners’ has witnessed a decrease in its allocation from Rs 20.00 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 5.00 crore in 2025-25.
On the other hand, ‘schemes for the safety of women’ has seen a decline in its allocation from Rs 1105.00 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 960.12 crore in 2025-26.
