HAL, BEL, Paras Defence to Bharat Dynamics — experts recommend defence stocks to buy ahead of Budget 2026

The Union Budget 2026 is just a week away, and market experts are busy guessing the possible announcements on 1 February 2026. The majority of experts believe that Finance Minister Sitharaman may announce a hefty increase in the country's defence budget for the financial year 2025-26. So, buying defence stocks ahead of Budget 2026 can be a good option, as the market discounts the announcements made during Sitharaman's budget speech.

Market expectations from Budget 2026

Expecting the Union Budget 2026 to support order visibility across defence majors, Pranay Aggarwal, Director & CEO at Stoxkart, said, “The defence sector’s growth can be accelerated through stronger Budget support for indigenisation and exports by expanding the Positive Indigenisation Lists, strengthening defence industrial corridors with better fiscal incentives and infrastructure, simplifying licensing and export procedures, and increasing allocations for R&D, innovation and technology transfer, while targeted export incentives and credit support can help scale defence exports towards long-term targets.”

“From an allocation standpoint, aerospace and defence electronics are likely to see the maximum impact, driven by sustained capex for aircraft, aero-engines, Air Force modernisation and technology-intensive systems such as surveillance, communications and electronic warfare, with shipbuilding also remaining a key beneficiary through continued support for naval fleet expansion. From an investor’s perspective, companies with strong order visibility, execution capability and policy tailwinds appear best positioned for long-term growth, particularly leading players in aerospace, defence electronics and naval shipbuilding that benefit from indigenisation, exports and long-term strategic procurement,” said Stoxkart expert.

How to invest in defence stocks before Budget 2026?

Unveiling the investment strategy for a potential defence stock investor, Seema Srivastava, Senior Research Analyst at SMC Global Securities, said, “Buying defence stocks ahead of Budget 2026 can be selectively wise, but it is not suited to a broad, momentum-driven strategy and should be approached with a medium-to-long-term investment horizon. The market has already priced in a defence outlay increase of around 8% to 10%, which is widely regarded as a comfortable and expected outcome rather than a major positive surprise. Any allocation meaningfully above this range could lift sentiment.”

The SMC expert said that investor focus has clearly shifted away from headline budget numbers toward execution visibility, order conversion, and clarity on timelines. This shift limits the scope for a sharp pre-Budget rerating across the sector, particularly after the strong rally witnessed over the past two years. That said, downside risks appear relatively contained, supported by robust order books, near-peak execution levels, and long-term visibility driven by defence modernisation, indigenisation initiatives, and rising export opportunities.

Defence stocks to buy before Budget 2026

“The recent 15% to 20% correction in defence stocks has also eased valuation concerns that had emerged at euphoric peaks, improving the overall risk-reward balance for selective accumulation. However, Budget Day itself is likely to act more as a short-term sentiment trigger than a structural inflexion point. Key risks include execution delays, slower conversion of Defence Acquisition Council approvals into firm orders, working-capital pressures, and supply-chain dependencies for certain import-linked components, all of which could continue to cap near-term earnings visibility even if allocations rise as expected. Therefore, investors should avoid chasing the theme indiscriminately and instead focus on companies where valuations are better aligned with execution visibility and strategic relevance,” said Seema Srivastava of SMC Global Securities.

Seema Srivastava, who is an ICAI-certified CA, also said that defence companies with strong domestic content and exposure to priority areas such as missiles, air defence systems, defence electronics, drones, and long-tenure platform-based programmes are relatively better placed.

On defence stocks to buy ahead of the Budget 2026, Seema Srivastava said, “Stocks such as HAL, BEL, BDL, GRSE, Paras Defence, and select private players with strong indigenisation capabilities remain in focus. Overall, buying defence stocks ahead of Budget 2026 makes sense only with patience, selectivity, and expectations anchored to steady execution-led gains rather than sharp Budget-driven upside.”

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.