Greater Noida (Defence Desk): According to a recent report by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), global defence expenditure is set to reach $2.46 trillion in 2024, up from $2.24 trillion last year. This means that on average global defence spending is now 1.9% of the world’s total GDP, up from 1.6% in 2022 and 1.8% in 2023. This increase is due to growing security challenges and increasing perception of threats in regions such as Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
United States: The largest military spender
The United States remains the largest military spender in 2025. The US not only tops the defence budget, but it also accounts for 62.3% of the top five global military spending. It is followed by China and Russia in second and third place respectively with defence budgets of $266.85 billion and $126 billion, accounting for 18.6% and 8.8% of total global military spending.
Top 10 Countries With Highest Military Spending in 2025
Countries around the world are increasing their defence budgets to strengthen their military might, so that they can project their power in volatile and complex geopolitical scenarios. Here is the list of countries with the highest military expenditure in 2025:
- United States – $895 billion
- China – $266.85 billion
- Russia – $126 billion
- India – $75 billion
- Saudi Arabia – $74.76 billion
- United Kingdom – $71.5 billion
- Japan – $57 billion
- Australia – $55.7 billion
- France – $55 billion
- Ukraine – $53.7 billion
India’s Defence Budget and Military Capability
India is considered one of the leading military powers in the world and is ranked fourth in the Global Firepower Index, where it has a score of 0.1184. India is constantly increasing its military budget and strengthening its military capabilities to meet the challenges of modern warfare. In the Union Budget for FY 2025, the Indian government has allocated Rs 6.81 lakh crore to the Ministry of Defence, which is 13.45% of the overall Union Budget. This is the highest allocation for the Ministry of Defence, which shows that India is serious about further increasing its military strength.
India’s Global Military Rank
India has now become one of the countries with the highest military expenditure, and ranks fourth with a defence budget of $75 billion.India’s increased defense expenditure is making it a major military power, strengthening its position on the global stage. This is the result of India’s military modernization and security plans. Thus, by increasing military spending India is further strengthening its global power, and it may emerge as an even more influential military power in the coming years.
