The Union Budget for the financial year 2019-20, presented by the Finance Minister in the Parliament envisaged a total outlay of Rs 27,86,349 crore. Out of this Rs 3,18,931.22 crore had been earmarked for Defence (excluding Defence Pension).
Modi has stopped practice of booking a hotel during technical halts in the course of foreign visits for refuelling of aircraft and stays at airport terminals, saving a lot of money to the exchequer.
Without naming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who vociferously attacked Modi on the Rafale deal issue in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections, Modi said that his government was committed to strengthening the defence forces.
During his visit to France earlier this week, Rajnath had emblazoned the Rafale aircraft with an 'Om' and laid flowers, coconut and lemons to ward off the evil eye.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flew a sortie on the newly inducted French-built Rafale fighter, which was formally handed over to India here on Tuesday.
Shortly before flying a sortie, Singh performed Shastra Puja (worship of weapons) on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami. Videos from the Dassault Aviation facility in France' Merignac show Singh writing an 'Om' on the jet and laying flowers and a coconut on it.
Air India paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary by painting a sketch of him on the tail of an Airbus A320 aircraft at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The first Rafale Aircraft to be inducted by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in France will also have the tail number RB-01 written on it in recognition of the role played by the officer in it.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Indian Air Force Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa will receive the first aircraft from the French authorities near the plane manufacturing plant in Bordeaux.
The security establishment had in July confirmed inputs that Pakistan army-backed terrorist groups are planning to carry out a major attack on Indian soil, which is why 100 companies of paramilitary groups have been deployed in the Kashmir valley.
