Pakistan announced on Tuesday a 20 percent hike in defence spending in this year's federal budget, a month after a conflict with India that saw the worst violence in decades.

More than 70 people were killed in the four-day conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May before a ceasefire was announced.

Finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented a $62 billion budget to parliament on Tuesday evening, allocating 14 percent to the military -- rising from 2.12 trillion Pakistani rupees ($7.5 billion) to 2.55 trillion this coming fiscal year.

It comes after Pakistan's government announced Friday on social media that it was in discussions to acquire 40 new Chinese fighter jets and new air defence systems.

Pakistan came to the brink of default in 2023, as a political crisis compounded

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