Defence first

The government’s preparations to present the federal budget for the new fiscal year in the National Assembly have entered the final stages. However, like every year, some analysts are raising questions about the budget allocated for defence, citing the economic crisis, foreign debt, and the significance of the social sectors.

The Roman Empire was a superpower in ancient times, and It was very strong economically, but it eventually collapsed due to its declining defence capabilities. Once upon a time, Baghdad was a cradle of knowledge and craftsmanship, and it also enjoyed the status of a global centre of education, trade, science and culture, but the Mongols destroyed it.

Paper currency was introduced in ancient China under the Song dynasty for the first time in world history. However, the downfall was due to the inability to resist foreign aggression. The present-day Italian city of Venice was considered the largest trading power in the Mediterranean in the past, but due to its weak defence, it was conquered by the French army led by Napoleon Bonaparte.

During the Mughal era, India was globally recognised due to its development and prosperity. No empire in the world could compete with the glory and splendour of the Mughal emperors. But then history tells us that the Mughals lost their throne and crown due to their lagging behind in modern defence capabilities. Similarly, the Ottoman Empire, which ruled three continents for centuries, was defeated in World War I and disappeared from the world map.

In the modern era, the significance of the defence sector's key role in national security, prestige, geographical stability and economic prosperity can be evaluated from the fact that the total volume of global defence spending reached $2.718 trillion in 2024. According to international media reports, this is the largest annual increase since the end of the cold war between the US and the Soviet Union.

Reportedly, the only superpower America allocated a huge amount of $997 billion for war expenses, while the defence spending of the world's second-largest economic power, China, was reported to be $314 billion, which is increasing rapidly. Russia increased its defence budget to $149 billion due to the ongoing military conflict with Ukraine.

While India has the highest defence budget in the South Asian region, with $46.5 billion, Pakistan’s defence budget was limited to only $10.2 billion, which is approximately 0.4 per cent of the global defence expenditure. Prominent countries that have allocated billions more than Pakistan in the defence budget include Australia, South Korea, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, France and the UK. The Nato countries are committed to spending at least 2.0 per cent of their GDP on defence. However, the above-mentioned countries claim that the purpose of increasing defence spending is not war but the prevention of war.

From the ancient era to modern times, the survival of any sovereign country depends on its strong defence capabilities. The military capability of any country determines its influence at the global and regional levels. The viewpoint of world leaders with strong defence power has always been given importance, and they are in a position to play a leading role in global alliances, peacekeeping missions, and humanitarian campaigns. Similarly, strengthening the defence sector also develops the country's economy and improves the law-and-order situation.

Those who criticise our defence budget ignore the fact that Pakistan has been facing border tensions and security threats since day one. We should understand that today, the fear of our strong military power is preventing our neighbour from imposing a full-scale war. Therefore, we must continue to invest in modern weapons, warships, nuclear capabilities and missile defence systems. To maintain the deterrence for our own survival, a large portion of our budget should also be allocated for cyber commands, space forces, and the modern battlefield of artificial intelligence.

The writer is a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. He tweets/posts @RVankwani