Amidst the increasing tension and regional conflicts around the world, every country is continuously strengthening its military strength. Many countries are increasing their defense budget significantly compared to their economic capacity, while some countries are also taking loans to meet their defense needs. Many powerful countries are investing extensively in the development of state-of-the-art weapons, military modernization and new technologies. Let us know which are the top 10 countries with the highest defense budget in the world.
According to the report of Global Fire Index 2026, America is at the first place. The US defense budget is approximately $831.5 billion, while $849.9 billion has been approved for the Department of Defense. This budget is being spent on military modernization, air dominance, expansion of naval capabilities and salaries of soldiers. America’s defense budget is the largest in the world due to its global military presence.
China
In second place is China, whose defense budget is about 303 billion dollars. China has increased its budget by 7.2 percent. A large part of this is being invested in military modernization, naval expansion and strengthening technical capabilities. Amidst increasing tensions with America and regional countries, China is continuously increasing its defense expenditure.
Russia
Russia is in third place. Russia’s defense budget is estimated at approximately $212.64 billion. Russia makes limited public information on defense spending, but experts estimate that it has increased its budget by about 3.4 percent. Russia’s military expenditure has become even more in the news after the Ukraine war.
Germany
Germany is in fourth place, whose defense budget is about 127.4 billion dollars. Germany is working on rapidly modernizing its defense infrastructure by 2025. Its goal is to meet NATO’s defense spending standard of 2 percent of GDP and increase the operational capability of its armed forces.
India
India is in fifth place. India’s defense budget is approximately $109 billion, which is 9.53 percent more than last year. This is approximately 13.45 percent of the total Union Budget. India is spending a major part of its defense budget on military modernisation, purchasing indigenous weapons and promoting domestic defense production under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
united kingdom
At sixth place is the United Kingdom, whose defense budget is about $88.53 billion, which is about 2.26 percent of its GDP. In view of the increasing security threat in Europe, Britain is continuously increasing its military strength and is working on a plan to increase the defense budget to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035.
France
France is in seventh place, whose defense budget is about $67.23 billion, which is 2.02 percent of its GDP. In view of the increasing security threats in Europe, France is working on many big defense projects including the construction of aircraft carriers and warships.
saudi arabia
At eighth place is Saudi Arabia, whose defense budget is about 63.99 billion dollars. Saudi Arabia is focusing on modernizing its military and strengthening regional security. It aims to localize more than 50 percent of defense spending by 2030, under which domestic capabilities are being developed in aerospace, armored vehicles and drone technology.
Japan
In ninth place is Japan, whose defense budget is about 58 billion dollars. Japan has significantly increased its defense spending in recent years due to security concerns related to China, North Korea, and Russia. He is paying special attention to missile defense and maritime security.
Australia
Australia is in tenth place, whose defense budget is about 57.35 billion dollars. In view of the constant threat from China in the South China Sea, Australia is rapidly upgrading its military capabilities. He is making special investments in drones, artificial intelligence and missile technology. Overall, global instability and regional security challenges have brought defense budgets to the top of countries’ priorities. These budgets may see further increase in the coming years due to military modernization and technological investment.
