Top 10 countries with highest military spending: global defence outlay reaches $2.887 trillion; check where India stands

The top 15 countries together accounted for $2.304 trillion, which is about 80 per cent of global military expenditure. Within this group, the top five spenders—the United States, China, Russia, Germany, and India—collectively spent $1.686 trillion, making up 58 per cent of the global total.

The US remained the largest military spender, responsible for roughly one-third of global spending in 2025. However, the gap between the US and other major spenders is narrowing. Its share has been gradually declining since 2020 and dropped by 4.3 percentage points between 2024 and 2025, due to both a decrease in US spending and increases in other countries. In 2025, the US spent 2.8 times more than China, the second-largest spender, compared to 3.2 times in 2024. China continued to hold a 12 per cent share of global military expenditure.

Out of the top 15 countries, 12 increased their military budgets in 2025, while only the US, the United Kingdom, and Israel reduced theirs. Some of the biggest percentage increases came from countries lower in the ranking. Spain, placed 15th, saw the highest rise at 50 per cent. Poland, ranked 14th, increased its spending by 23 per cent, while Italy (12th) and Ukraine (7th) both raised their budgets by 20 per cent.

Europe saw the sharpest overall increase, with military spending rising by 14 per cent to reach $864 billion. This growth was largely driven by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War and a growing push among European countries to strengthen their own defence capabilities as US involvement in the region decreases. Countries such as Germany and Spain boosted their defence budgets, while the UK recorded a slight decline.

In West Asia, spending patterns were mixed. Both Israel and Iran reduced their military budgets. Israel cut spending following a ceasefire in Gaza in early 2025, although its overall expenditure remains higher than in previous years.
Meanwhile, Asia and Oceania experienced their fastest growth since 2009, with total spending reaching $681 billion. China led the region with $336 billion, followed by increased spending in countries like Japan and Taiwan.

India’s rank

India ranked as the fifth-largest military spender in 2025, with its defence budget rising by 8.9 per cent to $92.1 billion. At the same time, Pakistan also increased its military expenditure by 11 per cent.