A Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone is seen during a Ukrainian Independence Day parade in Kyiv. (Getty Images)
BELFAST — Global military expenditure surged to a record $2.44 trillion in 2023, the largest year-on-year rise on weapons spending since 2009, according to a new Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report.
The report, published today, said that the new figure is an “all time high,” equivalent to a 6.8 percent increase on spending in 2022 and marking the ninth consecutive year in which global military expenditure rose.
The report also shows that for the first time in 15 years, global defense spending increased across all five major geographical regions: Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania, and the Americas.
“The unprecedented rise in military spending is a direct response to the global deterioration in peace and security,” said Nan Tian, senior researcher at SIPRI’s Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme. “States are prioritizing military strength but they risk an action–reaction spiral in the increasingly volatile geopolitical and security landscape.”
The US remains the world’s largest defense spender, outlaying $916 billion last year, a 2.3 percent annual increase, ahead of China in second place, which spent an estimated $296 billion, a 6 percent increase over the same period. SIPRI added that Beijing’s total spending stands as the 29th consecutive spike in national military spending, year-on-year, and represents “half” of all military spending across Asia and Oceania. (China’s annual military budget is publicly recorded at $222 billion, though recently a US senator said US intelligence believes the actual budget is more than three times that much.)
Amid its invasion of Ukraine, Russia moved the needle on national military expenditure considerably too, increasing spending by 24 percent for an estimated total of $109 billion last year. The figure also accounts for 16 percent of all government money spent by the Kremlin over 2023.
Ukraine spending reached $64.8 billion, an annual leap of 51 percent. Overall, Kyiv sits as the eighth highest global military spender.
When combined, Ukraine’s spending and miliary aid of “at least” $35 billion, mainly from the US and other international partners, amounted to around 91 percent of Russian spending. Not included in SIPRI’s figures is the new $60 billion in new US assistance, including $13.8 to replenish US stockpiles, after the House passed a $95 billion supplemental on Saturday.
I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track.
Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2024
At a NATO level, the 31 member states from 2023 spent $1.34 trillion, equivalent to 55 percent of global military expenditure, with the US accounting for more than two thirds of the total.
Elsewhere, as tension with China heightens, both Japan and Taiwan increased their respective military spending by 11 percent, with Tokyo outlaying $50.2 billion and Taipei pitching in $16.6 billion.
SIPRI also said that “war and tensions” in the Middle East led to the largest spending increase across the region in the “past decade”: a 9 percent jump in expenditure, working out to $200 billion for the region last year.
The change was largely a result of increased spending by Israel, the second largest spender in the region behind Saudi Arabia, and which drew on $27.5 billion in 2023 — a 24 percent increase. The push for new funding from Tel Aviv was “mainly driven by Israel’s large-scale offensive in Gaza in response to the attack on southern Israel by Hamas in October 2023,” noted SIPRI.
“The large increase in military spending in the Middle East in 2023 reflected the rapidly shifting situation in the region — from the warming of diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries in recent years to the outbreak of a major war in Gaza and fears of a region-wide conflict,” said Diego Lopes da Silva, senior researcher at SIPRI’s Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme.
FAQs
Global military spending hit a record high of $2.4 trillion in 2023 after increasing by 6.8% from the previous year, a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said. The Ukraine-Russia war, tensions in the Middle East and other trends contributed to the jump according to the report.
How much does SIPRI spend on global military? ›
World military expenditure increased for the ninth consecutive year in 2023, reaching a total of $2443 billion. The 6.8 per cent increase in 2023 was the steepest year-on-year rise since 2009 and pushed global spending to the highest level SIPRI has ever recorded (see figure 1).
What country is number 1 in military spending? ›
The United States has the highest military spending of any nation. Its military spending includes all of the Department of Defense's regular activities, war spending, the nuclear weapon program, international military assistance, and other Pentagon-related spending.
How much does the world spend annually on the military? ›
BELFAST — Global military expenditure surged to a record $2.44 trillion in 2023, the largest year-on-year rise on weapons spending since 2009, according to a new Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report.
Is defense spending by the US the highest in the world? ›
The United States led the ranking of the countries with the highest military spending in 2023, with 916 billion U.S. dollars dedicated to the military. That constituted over 40 percent of the total military spending worldwide that year, which amounted to 2.4 trillion U.S. dollars.
Is SIPRI trustworthy? ›
SIPRI publications aim to provide policymakers, researchers, the media and the interested public with reliable information, analysis and recommendations. They are peer-reviewed, use only open sources and are transparent about the sources used.
Who funds SIPRI? ›
SIPRI was established on the basis of a decision by the Swedish Parliament and receives a substantial part of its funding in the form of an annual grant from the Swedish Government. The Institute also seeks financial support from other organizations in order to carry out its research.
Who has the most richest army in the world? ›
1. United States Of America. The American military is by far the most powerful in the entire world. The nation boasts one of the most formidable militaries in the world, with a military budget of more than $600 billion.
Who has the strongest military in the world? ›
1. United States of America. The United States, one of the largest economies, has the most powerful military in the world. Its multifaceted strategy, combining land, air, sea, and space assets, is what gives it power.
What percent of the US budget is military? ›
Home / Articles / How much does the US spend on the military? In 2023, the US military spent approximately $820.3 billion, or roughly 13.3% of the entire federal budget for that fiscal year. In March 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) requested $842.0 billion for 2024 — a 2.6% increase.
Spending Categories
- 13 % Net Interest.
- 13 % National Defense.
- 12 % Medicare.
- 11 % Income Security.
- 5 % Veterans Benefits and Services.
- 3 % Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services.
- 2 % Transportation.
- 2 % Commerce and Housing Credit.
China has the largest standing army, with over 2 million active personnel. With increasing defense spending over the last decades, the country also ranks third in the number of tanks and second in the number of aircraft carriers in service.
What percent of taxes go to the military? ›
Defense. Approximately 20 percent of the federal budget is spent on defense and security. Most of that 20 percent is for the Department of Defense, which covers the cost of military operations, troop training, equipment, and weapons research.
How powerful is the US military? ›
The US military remains the world's most powerful in 2024, according to a global ranking recently released by Global Firepower. The ranking evaluated 145 countries based on over 60 factors, such as number of troops, military equipment, and financial stability.
How big is the US Army compared to other countries? ›
The United States is also the world's third largest army in terms of manpower, with about 1.4 million active military personnel in 2022. The United States military consists of different service branches, including the Army, Navy, Airforce, Marine Corps, and Space Force.
What percentage of global military spending is spent by the United States? ›
The United States accounts for nearly 40% of global military spending, and devotes a larger share of its GDP to defense than most other countries. The graph above shows that U.S. military spending was greater than the next ten biggest spenders in 2023.
How much money does the US spend on foreign military? ›
Along with economic assistance, military aid is one of the two primary categories of foreign aid spending. In 2020, the US spent $51.1 billion in foreign aid, which makes up 1% of the federal budget. Military aid accounted for 23% of foreign aid spending in 2020.
Who is the largest importer of weapons in SIPRI? ›
India's position as the top arms importer is followed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Ukraine, Pakistan, Japan, Egypt, Australia, South Korea, and China. Among the top arms exporters, the United States leads with a 42% share, followed by France and Russia.
Which country gives the most money to the military? ›
The final ranking shows that America still spends far more on defence than any other country. In 2023 it spent $916bn on its armed forces (see chart 2). Taken together, its 31 allies in NATO come in second: they spend $434bn or $719bn adjusted for cost differences.
