MHA Budget Allocation Jumps 5.69% for FY27, Emphasizing Census and Intelligence Upgrades
The Union Budget for the financial year 2026-2027 has unveiled a significant boost in funding for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with a total outlay rising to Rs 2,55,234 crore. This marks a 5.69% increase over the revised estimates for 2025-26 and a substantial 13.65% rise from the actual expenditures in 2024-25. The allocation underscores a strategic shift towards enhancing national security, intelligence capabilities, and the long-awaited national Census.
Intelligence Bureau Receives Massive 70% Funding Hike
One of the standout features of the budget is the nearly 70% surge in funding for the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which now stands at Rs 6,782 crore. This dramatic increase is primarily driven by a jump in capital spending from Rs 306.07 crore to Rs 2,549.54 crore. Officials indicate that this steep hike is aimed at upgrading intelligence-gathering systems, surveillance infrastructure, and data analytics capabilities, reflecting a renewed focus on bolstering India's internal security apparatus.
Census Allocation Soars Fourteen-Fold to Rs 6,000 Crore
The budget has allocated a whopping Rs 6,000 crore for the Census, Survey and Statistics/Registrar General of India (RGI), a fourteen-fold increase from Rs 574.80 crore in 2025-26. This includes a developmental head of Rs 5,762.79 crore, up from Rs 509.86 crore, signaling the Centre's strong push to relaunch the national enumeration exercise last conducted in 2011. The expanded funds will support digital enumeration systems, logistics, and workforce mobilization, with the Census scheduled for 2027 after multiple deferments due to the pandemic.
Border Security and Police Forces See Enhanced Funding
Border infrastructure and management have received a record Rs 5,576.51 crore, with Rs 5,266.51 crore earmarked for capital expenditure to improve check-posts, fencing, observation towers, and hi-tech surveillance systems along the Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders. Additionally, the police head alone accounts for Rs 1,73,802.53 crore, nearly 68% of the total MHA spending, aimed at better infrastructure, sophisticated weapons, and training for forces.
The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) together receive Rs 1,16,789.30 crore, an over 11% increase from two years ago, with the CRPF leading at Rs 38,517.93 crore, followed by the BSF at Rs 29,567.64 crore. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police, deployed along the China border, sees a 21.3% jump to Rs 11,324.08 crore, while the National Security Guard (NSG) gets Rs 1,422.47 crore, up from Rs 1,095.91 crore in 2024-25.
Women's Safety and Local Police Allocations Rise
In a policy expansion, women's safety programmes have been allocated Rs 889.05 crore for 2026-27, a significant increase from Rs 286.42 crore in 2024-25. The Delhi Police receives Rs 12,503.65 crore, and the Jammu & Kashmir Police sees a 16% rise to Rs 9,925.50 crore, reflecting heightened local security demands in these regions.
Historical Context and Government Statements
The MHA's expenditure has shown consistent growth, rising from Rs 2,24,585 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 2,33,211 crore in 2025-26 (a 3.84% increase), and further revised to Rs 2,41,485 crore in 2025-26 (a 3.55% increase). Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X, praised the budget, stating it reaffirms the Modi government's commitment to growth and development with fiscal prudence, keeping the fiscal deficit below 4.5%.
This budget allocation highlights India's focused approach on strengthening internal security, intelligence, and critical data exercises like the Census, positioning the nation for enhanced safety and governance in the coming years.
