MHA Budget 2026-27 Records 5.69% Increase with Heavy Focus on Census and Intelligence
The Union Budget for the financial year 2026-27 has allocated a significantly enhanced outlay to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), reflecting the government's intensified focus on internal security, border management, and the long-pending national Census. The total expenditure under the MHA, including allocations for Union Territories, is set to rise to Rs 2,55,234 crore, marking a 5.69 per cent increase over the revised estimates for 2025-26 and a substantial 13.65 per cent jump from the 2024-25 actuals.
Intelligence Bureau Receives Massive 70% Funding Boost
One of the standout features of the MHA budget is the dramatic surge in funding for the Intelligence Bureau (IB). The agency's allocation has soared by nearly 70 per cent to Rs 6,782 crore, driven primarily by a massive increase 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, enhancing surveillance infrastructure, and bolstering data analytics capabilities to strengthen national security.
Census Allocation Jumps Fourteen-Fold to Rs 6,000 Crore
After multiple delays, the national Census has received a major push in the latest budget. The allocation for the Census, Survey and Statistics/Registrar General of India (RGI) has skyrocketed from Rs 574.80 crore in 2025-26 to Rs 6,000 crore in FY27—a fourteen-fold increase. The developmental head for Census Surveys and Statistics has also seen a matching jump to Rs 5,762.79 crore from Rs 509.86 crore, underscoring the Centre's commitment to relaunching the enumeration exercise last conducted in 2011.
Officials revealed that the expanded allocation will fund digital enumeration systems, logistics, and workforce mobilisation for the nationwide count. "This is preparatory groundwork for India's largest data exercise," a senior government official familiar with the planning process stated. The government had previously announced that the Census would be carried out in 2027, following multiple extensions of deadlines for freezing jurisdictional boundaries since its deferment due to the pandemic in 2020.
Border Infrastructure and Police Forces See Significant Increases
Border infrastructure and management have been allocated a record Rs 5,576.51 crore, including a substantial capital outlay of Rs 5,266.51 crore. This funding is designated for improving infrastructure at check-posts, constructing observation towers, and deploying hi-tech surveillance systems along the Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders. Additionally, Rs 310 crore is earmarked for maintenance and border check-posts.
The police head alone received Rs 1,73,802.53 crore, accounting for nearly 68 per cent of the total ministry spending. This allocation aims to enhance infrastructure, procure sophisticated weapons, and improve training for law enforcement agencies. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) together receive Rs 1,16,789.30 crore, reflecting an over 11 per cent increase from two years ago.
- The CRPF leads with Rs 38,517.93 crore, up from Rs 34,020.58 crore in 2024-25.
- The BSF follows with Rs 29,567.64 crore, compared to Rs 27,938.53 crore in 2024-25.
- The CISF receives Rs 15,973.85 crore after accounting for recoveries, up from Rs 14,689.74 crore.
- The Indo-Tibetan Border Police, deployed along the China border, saw a 21.3 per cent jump to Rs 11,324.08 crore from Rs 9,337.24 crore.
- The National Security Guard (NSG), India's elite counter-terror unit, received Rs 1,422.47 crore, up from Rs 1,095.91 crore in 2024-25.
Women's Safety and Local Police Forces Also Gain
In a marked policy expansion, women's safety programmes have been allocated Rs 889.05 crore in 2026-27, a significant rise from Rs 286.42 crore in actual spending during 2024-25. Local police forces have also seen increased allocations:
- The Delhi Police has been granted Rs 12,503.65 crore for 2026-27, comprising Rs 11,881.55 crore in revenue expenditure and Rs 622.10 crore in capital expenditure.
- The Jammu & Kashmir Police sees a 16 per cent rise to Rs 9,925.50 crore (Rs 9,428.13 crore revenue, Rs 497.37 crore capital), reflecting heightened local security demands.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X, congratulated Prime Minister Modi on the "remarkable landmark set by the #ViksitBharatBudget with the resounding reaffirmation of the Modi government's commitment to drive growth and development with fiscal prudence." He noted that the budget fulfills the target of keeping the fiscal deficit below 4.5%.
The MHA's budget trajectory shows a consistent upward trend, with total expenditure rising from Rs 2,24,585 crore in 2024-25 (actuals) to Rs 2,33,211 crore in 2025-26 (budget estimates)—a 3.84 per cent rise—and later revised upward to Rs 2,41,485 crore in 2025-26 (revised estimates), representing a further 3.55 per cent increase before the latest 5.69% jump for FY27.
