Adverse affects of decades of neglect of defence and negative defence budgets in actual terms under various governments are coming to fore. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pointed out that the upgrade of 90x medium lift Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) proposed in 2002 could not be achieved even after 18 years. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) concluded a contract with Elbit Systems of Israel for the upgrade of these helicopters at Rs 618.23 crore only in January 2017 – 15 years after the IAF proposed it. CAG observed, “After up-gradation, 56 of these helicopters would be left with less than two years of life. The expenditure of ₹222.92 crore being incurred on their up-gradation is not justified.” For the upgrade, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited were to supply ₹1,720 crore worth of essential components. But the contract for this supply has yet not been concluded between the MoD and HAL, BEL. Thus even after 18 years, up-gradation of the helicopters has not been completed. Of the 90 x Mi-17 helicopters, 56 were inducted into the IAF during 1984-89 and have a ‘total calendar life’ of 35 years.