India overtakes major powers to become one of top 5 global military spenders; what about Pakistan?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "India overtakes major powers to become one of top 5 global military spenders; what about Pakistan?")
: The Indian Army Western Command hosts a high-profile Operational Capability Demonstration and Investiture Ceremony at Dhyan Chand Stadium, in Pathankot on Thursday. Photograph: (ANI)
India becomes one of the world’s top five military spenders: With defence spending hitting $92.1 billion after Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, India’s security priorities have clearly shifted.
How much did Pakistan, Europe and the US spend? Scroll down to find out.
Global military spending hit $2,887 billion in 2025. This was the eleventh year in a row that defence spending grew, marking the highest level since SIPRI started tracking. The report says the rise was caused by faster defence spending in Europe and Asia, as governments reacted to wars, unstable politics, and a more unpredictable security situation.
India becomes one of the top defence spenders
In the year that was marked by the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, India increased its military spending to $92.1 billion. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's annual report released Monday, for the first time, India has entered the list of top five military spenders. The five largest spenders, i.e., the United States, China, Russia, Germany and India, together accounted for 58 per cent of global military expenditure, at a combined $1,686 billion.
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Is Pakistan behind India's increased military spending?
India increased its military spending by 8.9 per cent to $92.1 billion in 2025. According to SIPRI, this can directly be linked to the armed conflict with Pakistan in May 2025. India's Operation Sindoor against terror outfits in Pakistan involved combat aircraft, drones and missiles.
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Meanwhile, Pakistan's spending grew by 11 per cent to $11.9 billion over the same period, driven largely by new orders for aircraft and missiles placed with China following the conflict, as well as payments on earlier procurement contracts nearing completion.
Europe leads the global surge
The single biggest driver of the global increase was Europe, where military spending rose 14 per cent to $864 billion, the sharpest annual growth in Central and Western Europe since the end of the Cold War. Russia and Ukraine both continued to increase spending in the fourth year of their war, while NATO members across the continent accelerated rearmament programmes that have been building since Russia's 2022 invasion.
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US spending fell; the reason may surprise you
The United States remained the world's largest military spender at $954 billion, but that figure was 7.5 per cent lower than 2024. The drop was largely mechanical: no new financial military assistance for Ukraine was approved during the year, a sharp contrast to the previous three years in which a combined $127 billion had been authorised.
