The Committee considers the general principles and clauses of the Bills referred to it and makes Reports thereon within the given time.

Keys:   BJP (13)   INC (5)   SP (1)   AITC (1)   DMK (1)   TDP (1)   RJD (1)   AAP (1)   NCP (1)   BJD (1)   AIADMK (1)   CPI (1)  VCK (1)   ZPM (1)   IND (1) = 31 members Party-wise membership of Standing Committee on Defence The $8.9 billion deal for the purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft from France was delayed due to the Agusta Westland bribery scandal and a cautious stance taken by the government of India.

[4] "The committee takes serious view of the fact that our squadron strength is already short of what has been authorized by the Government and moreover, insufficiency in number of available pilots in the Air Force further deteriorates our operational capabilities," said the parliament panel headed by Major General (retd.)

However, this statement was countered by the statement issued by minority members MP Ambika Soni and MP Madhusudhan Mistry – "The decision not to brief the committee over surgical strikes under the garb of secrecy only amounts to 'lack of confidence' in the Members of Parliament, who are in the committee and who are bound by the oath of secrecy.

[6][7] In its seventh and eighth report on Demands of Grants, the SCOD said that while the sanctioned strength was 42, Indian Air Force at present has 35 active squadrons – "With regard to this, representatives of air force deposed before the committee that a drawdown has already begun and, by 2022, air force will have around just 25 squadrons, thereby losing even the slight edge over rival neighbouring nation" , the panel additionally said in the same report, that IAF would need 45 squadrons to counter "two front collusive threat".

[11] However the SCOD recommended and the government via the Ministry of Defence (MOD) followed up eventually by increasing the financial powers of all three vice chiefs up to ₹500 crore (equivalent to ₹669 crore or US$77 million in 2023)[12] (Alliance) As part of its oversight process the committee has published quite a number of reports over the course of its existence.