India replaces Russia in military spending in 2019

Global military expenditure is estimated to have been $1,917 billion in 2019, the highest level since 1988. The total was 3.6 per cent higher in real terms than in 2018 and 7.2 per cent higher than in 2010.

India has become the third largest military spender in the world, after the US and China replacing Russia currently on 4th place from 3rd in the previous year.

Military spending by the US, which is the highest, grew by 5.3 per cent to a total of $732 billion in 2019 and accounted for 38 per cent of global military spending.

China, the world's second-largest military spender, is estimated to have allocated $261 billion to the military in 2019, equivalent to 14 per cent of global military expenditure. Its military spending in 2019 was 5.1 per cent higher than in 2018 and 85 per cent higher than in 2010. China's military expenditure has increased continuously since 1994 (for 25 consecutive years).

The 6.8 per cent rise in India's military spending in 2019 in combination with the significant fall in Saudi Arabia's spending (-16 per cent) over the same period meant that India ranked third in 2019 for the first time. At $71.1 billion, India had the highest military spending in South Asia in 2019. It was 6.8 per cent higher in 2019 than in 2018. India's military expenditure has risen significantly over the past few decades.

Russia's military expenditure was $65.1 billion in 2019 and accounted for 88 per cent of military spending in Eastern Europe. Russian military expenditure has grown significantly over the past two decades. By 2019, it was 30 per cent higher than in 2010 and 175 per cent higher than in 2000.

Saudi Arabia fell from third to fifth. Two of the top 15 global spenders in 2019 are in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia (rank 5) and Israel (rank 15). Saudi Arabia is by far the largest military spender in the region, with an estimated total of $61.9 billion in 2019.

France's military spending in 2019 was the sixth highest in the world and the highest among states in Western Europe. France's military spending rose by 1.6 per cent in 2019 to reach $50.1 billion. Over the decade 2010-19, its military spending increased by 3.5 per cent.

Germany had the highest annual increase (10 per cent) in military spending among the top 15 spenders in 2019 and moved up two places in the rankings, from ninth to seventh.

At $48.7 billion, the UK's military expenditure was unchanged in 2019 but was 15 per cent lower than in 2010. The UK's spending has remained fairly stable since 2015. At 1.7 per cent of GDP, the UK's military burden in 2019 was at its lowest level since 1950.

Japan had the lowest military burden. It devoted only 0.9 per cent of its GDP to military expenditure. Japan and South Korea are the largest military spenders in East Asia. Military spending by Japan was $47.6 billion in 2019, 0.1 per cent lower than in 2018. Its spending increased by 2.0 per cent between 2010 and 2019.

In South Korea, the upward trend in military spending since 2000 continued. In 2019 its military spending reached $43.9 billion, an increase of 7.5 per cent in 2018 and of 36 per cent in 2010.