Top 10 Military spending by country GDP list 2024-25: Global military spending has risen over the last decade by 37% from 2015 to 2025, according to the latest study by SIPRI. In addition, the percentage of the global gross domestic product (GDP) allocated to military expenditures (known as global military burden) rose from 2.3% in 2023 to 2.5% in 2024. Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, both countries increased their military burdens last year. Ukraine witnessed the highest military burden of 34% of its GDP; meanwhile, Russia, ranked 5th, spent 7.1% of its GDP on the military in 2024. Even countries in Central and Western Europe, like Poland, witnessed unprecedented rises in their military spending last year; its military spending grew by 31 per cent to $38.0 billion in 2024, representing 4.2 per cent of the country's GDP. Furthermore, the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East drove Israel to allocate 8.8% of its GDP to defence. Saudi Arabia, the biggest spender in the region, spent 7.3%. Top 10 highest military spenders in the world by share of GDP percentage in 2024-25 As a result of rising geopolitical tensions, armed conflict-affected countries spent 4.4% of their GDP on the military in 2024, in contrast to 1.9% in countries with no armed conflict. Rank Country Share of GDP (%) 2024 Spending ($B) 1 Ukraine 34% 64.7 3 Israel 8.80% 46.5 3 Algeria 8% 21.8 4 Saudi Arabia 7.30% [80.3] 5 Russia [7.1%] [149] 6 Kuwait 4.80% 7.8 7 Poland 4.20% 38 8 United States 3.40% 997 9 Colombia 3.40% 15.1 10 Greece 3.1 8 Source: SIPRI - Trends in World Military Expenditure, April 2025 | Please note: [ ] = estimated figure How much does India spend on the military as a share of GDP in 2024? India, the fifth-largest economy, is also the fifth-largest global military spender, with an expenditure of $86.1 billion, which accounts for 2.3% of its GDP in 2024. In contrast, Pakistan, with a much smaller economy, allocates $10.2 billion to defence—2.7% of its GDP—highlighting its prioritisation of military expenditure despite economic constraints. The largest economy in the world, the United States, continues to dominate global military spending with a massive $997 billion, constituting 3.4% of its GDP, emphasising its role as a global military superpower. Following China, the second-largest military spender, allocates an estimated $314 billion, or 1.7% of its GDP, focusing on expanding its regional influence and challenging U.S. dominance.
