New Delhi: India was the fourth largest military spender globally in 2023 with an expenditure of USD 83.6 billion, behind the US, China and Russia, according to a report by an independent international think-tank.
The report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shared on its website in April also said the “rise” in global military spending last year can be attributed “primarily to the ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating geopolitical tensions in Asia and Oceania and the Middle East”.
The military expenditure went up in all five geographical regions, with major spending increases recorded in Europe, Asia and Oceania and the Middle East, it said.
The United States (US), China, and Russia were the top three spenders in that order, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri). India’s military spending saw a 4.2 per cent increase compared to 2022. This growth reflects India’s strategic focus on enhancing its defence capabilities and bolstering military infrastructure, particularly along the China border following the Ladakh standoff that began in May 2020. India’s modernisation efforts include investments in fighter jets, helicopters, warships, tanks, artillery guns, rockets, missiles, unmanned capabilities, and other combat systems.
India also held the fourth position in 2022, when military spending reached $81.4 billion. This marked a 6 per cent increase from 2021 and a substantial 47 per cent rise since 2013.
China’s military spending: In comparison, China, the world’s second-largest military spender, allocated an estimated $296 billion to its military in 2023, a 6 per cent increase from the previous year. Sipri’s report noted that several of China’s neighbours have increased their military spending in response to Beijing’ expenditure.
India vs China: The Sipri report comes at a time when India and China have been locked in a standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May 2020. The two countries have conducted 21 rounds of military talks to address the border dispute.
On February 1, India allocated Rs 6.21 trillion for defence spending in the interim Budget for 2024-25, marginally lower than the previous year’s revised estimates but 4.72 per cent higher than the budget estimates for 2023-24. This year’s defence budget represents 1.89 per cent of India’s projected gross domestic product (GDP) for 2024-25.
Global military spending: Globally, total military expenditure reached $2443 billion in 2023, marking a 6.8 per cent increase from 2022. The report attributed this surge to ongoing conflicts, rising tensions, and global insecurity.
The US saw a 2.3 per cent increase in military spending, reaching $916 billion, while Russia’s military expenditure surged by 24 per cent to an estimated $109 billion amid the war with Ukraine.
Ukraine also experienced a significant spending surge, with military expenditure reaching $64.8 billion, making it the eighth-largest spender in 2023.
“The unprecedented rise in military spending is a direct response to the global deterioration in peace and security,” said Nan Tian, Senior Researcher with Sipri’s Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme.
Top 10 countries with highest military spending in 2023
1. United States: $916 billion
2. China: $296 billion (estimated)
3. Russia: $109 billion (estimated)
4. India: $83.6 billion
5. Saudi Arabia: $75.8 billion (estimated)
6. United Kingdom: $74.9 billion
7. Germany: $66.8 billion
8. Ukraine: $64.8 billion
9. France: $61.3 billion
10. Japan: $50.32 billion
