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Journalism of Courage
Global Military Powers 2025: The world is facing an unprecedented level of insecurity and geopolitical strife, with approximately 60 armed conflicts recorded in the past year—the highest number ever documented.
According to the World Economic Forum, civilian fatalities have surged by over 30% between 2023 and 2024, largely driven by escalating hostilities in the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe.
This rise in conflict has positioned warfare as the foremost threat to global stability, as outlined in the 2025 Global Risks Report.
In stark contrast, global military expenditures are skyrocketing and have reached a staggering $2.4 trillion in 2023, as reported by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
To assert themselves as powerful players on the world stage, countries are fiercely competing to strengthen their military capabilities and allocating vast budgets to defence and military endeavours.
This trend reflects their economic and strategic ambitions, enabling them to exert significant influence in global politics, defence matters, and international relations, with the overall picture presenting a grim global outlook, where the pursuit of military strength overshadows the imperative for peace and stability.
The Global Firepower Military Strength Ranking has recently released a list of the world’s most powerful militaries, evaluating the military strengths of 145 countries based on over 60 individual factors that contribute to a Power Index score.
Unsurprisingly, the United States of America has reaffirmed its position as the unrivalled leader in military strength, a position it has maintained since 2005, largely owing to its extensive manpower, significant financial resources, substantial material reserves, and promising industrial output.
Following the United States, Russia secured the second position in the ranking with a Power Index score of 0.0788, sespite ongoing geopolitical tensions exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict; its standing is strengthened by alliances with nations such as Iran, North Korea, and China.
China closely trails in third place, sharing a score of 0.0788, benefiting from its alliance with Russia. It continues to expand its military capabilities through substantial investments in defence and development.
Coupled with a robust industrial base, China is also a formidable force, improving its influence across Asia, Africa, and South America.
The military landscape includes other notable players like South Korea, ranking 5th, followed by Japan at 7th, Türkiye at 8th, and Iran at 14th, are experiencing growth in their defence capabilities, largely driven by rising defence budgets, thriving industrial sectors, and strategic partnerships with established military powers.
| Rank 2025 | Country | Power Index 2025 | Total Military Personnel 2025 (est) |
| 1 | United States of America | 0.0744 | 21,27,500 |
| 2 | Russia | 0.0788 | 35,70,000 |
| 3 | China | 0.0788 | 31,70,000 |
| 4 | India | 0.1184 | 51,37,550 |
| 5 | South Korea | 0.1656 | 38,20,000 |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 0.1785 | 11,08,860 |
| 7 | France | 0.1878 | 3,76,000 |
| 8 | Japan | 0.1839 | 3,28,150 |
| 9 | Turkiye | 0.1902 | 8,83,900 |
| 10 | Italy | 0.2164 | 2,89,000 |
Source: Global Firepower Index 2025
Please note: The present GFP formula cannot achieve a flawless Power Index score of 0.0000, while a smaller Power Index value indicates a nation’s conventional fighting capabilities are more powerful.
India has emerged as a significant military power with a Global Firepower Index Score of 0.1184, largely driven by consistent spending, modernisation, and manpower.
Notably, it’s the fourth largest military spender globally in 2023, and has spent 4.2 per cent higher than that made in 2022, SIPRI stated.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s military standing has been influenced by its relationship with China, which has facilitated material acquisitions.
However, increased tensions with Afghanistan due to recent border clashes have negatively impacted Pakistan’s ranking, placing it 12th with a Power Index score of 0.2513.
