Funds allocated to the Intelligence Bureau in Union Budget 2026-27 saw a 74% rise from last year, with the increase primarily driven by capital expenditure that would entail spending on infrastructure to enhance the nation’s security.
The budget set aside ₹6782.43 crore for the internal security agency under the Ministry of home affairs; capital expenditure made up ₹2549.54 crore compared to ₹230.76 crore in 2025-26. Overall budget estimate for 2025-26 was ₹3893.35 crore, while revised estimate was ₹4159.11 crore.
The allocation to the IB assumes significance in the wake of the November terror attack near the Red Fort in Delhi and the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. While the Pahalgam attack showed how terrorists from Pakistan managed to enter India and were aided by Indian nationals for the terror attack, the Delhi episode showed the extent of self radicalisation in universities and how a module had purchased a bulk of explosives locally and used it in their activities. Post Operation Sindoor, India’s response to Pahalgam attack, the IB has been coordinating with state police and Central Industrial Security Force to secure India’s assets. Officials said the enhanced funding reflects plans to expand the bureau’s capabilities and resultant infrastructure.
Overall the budget of the union home ministry has been increased from ₹2,33,210 crore to ₹2,55,233.53 crore. India’s largest paramilitary force the Central Reserve Police Force will get ₹38517.93 crore compared to ₹35,147.47 crore in 2025-26. The CRPF, which is with a strength of over 3,00,000, has a large role in combating left wing extremism. The CRPF will also increase its presence in J&K, once Naxal violence is eliminated and a section of the troops will be able to shift to J&K. Senior officials have said that home ministry and CRPF is working to deploy CRPF’s COBRA force to J&K. COBRA commandos are trained in guerrilla warfare and were raised to tackle left wing extremism.
Budgetary allocations were increased for other paramilitary forces under the home ministry, including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police . The ITBP will see a 59% increase in capital expenditure to ₹225.80 crore, amid an overall increase in allocation to ₹11,324.08 crore.
As a consequence of the implementation of the three new criminal laws on July 1, 2024, allocation for criminology and forensic sciences has also been increased from ₹93.35 crore in 2025-26 to ₹132.89 crore for 2026-27 . The revised estimate for 2025-26 was ₹99.57 crore.
The inter operable criminal justice system(IOCJS), which is also another important feature of the new laws, has also seen a rise in its budget. The revised budget for 2025-26 was ₹300.01 crore which has been increased to ₹550 crore. The IOCJS connects all principal components of justice delivery system from police station to forensic labs, prisons and jails so that the procedure from FIR to chargesheet to judgement is digitised and swift.
Curated by Dr. Elena Rodriguez
