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Journalism of Courage
List of countries by combat tank fleet strength 2025: Amid escalating geopolitical tensions, the world has become increasingly unstable. According to an earlier Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, the global military expenditure rose by 37 per cent between 2015 and 2025, with a sharp 9.4 per cent increase recorded just last year.
As countries ramp up defence spending, the world appears to be edging closer to a new arms race, running counter to calls for global peace and disarmament.
The global nuclear arsenal was estimated at 12,241 warheads as of January 2025, with around 9,614 in active military stockpiles and ready for potential deployment, according to the SIPRI Yearbook 2025.
China, which has significantly modernised and expanded its military over recent decades, is now the world’s second-largest defence spender after the United States of America.
This growing investment has helped China overtake the US, Russia, and North Korea to become the world leader in tank strength, with a fleet of 6,800 combat tanks, according to the Global Firepower 2025 rankings.
Several Middle Eastern and North African countries, including Egypt, Iran, Algeria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, also feature prominently in the global tank rankings, showing their sustained focus on armoured capabilities.
In 2025, India is ranked 5th globally with a total of 4,201 combat tanks, placing it ahead of Pakistan, which ranks 7th with over 2,000 tanks.
While there have been significant advances in warfare technology, combat tanks are still considered significant in combined arms warfare due to their capacity to deliver heavy firepower, withstand damage, and support infantry in complex terrain.
Below are the top 10 countries with the largest combat tank fleet in the world, as estimated by Global Firepower Rankings 2025:
| Rank | Country | Est. total of combat tanks |
| 1 | China | 6,800 |
| 2 | Russia | 5,750 |
| 3 | United States | 4,640 |
| 4 | North Korea | 4,344 |
| 5 | India | 4,201 |
| 6 | Egypt | 3,620 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 2,627 |
| 8 | Türkiye | 2,238 |
| 9 | South Korea | 2,236 |
| 10 | Iran | 1,713 |
Note: Total tank fleet by country is based on data from Global Firepower. Figures are current as of 2025. Estimates have been used where official data was unavailable.
