India Defense Chief Confirms Budget Cuts

India’s defense minister AK Antony has confirmed that military spending will be cut in the budget for the next fiscal year (April 2013 through March 2014). “The [Indian] government is passing through a difficult phase; the recession is affecting us,” said Antony in response to a question from AIN during a packed press conference at Aero India today. “There will be a cut in the capital and revenue budget. However, we will not cut the expenditure on operational preparedness.” Antony told AIN that the country’s military has been told to lay out its spending priorities for the next fiscal year. “What is left out we will take [into] the next fiscal [year, 2014-15], so nothing will get affected,” he stated.