India's 2024 military spending was nine times Pakistan's

New Delhi

India's military spending in 2024 was almost nine times that of Pakistan, a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed on Monday. India’s military budget grew by 1.6% to reach USD 86.1 billion, while Pakistan spent USD 10.2 billion. The study also highlighted that the United States, China, Russia, Germany, and India were the top five military spenders globally, accounting for 60% of global military expenditures.

China's defense budget rose by 7% to USD 314 billion, continuing its three-decade-long increase in military spending. The country focuses on modernizing its forces and expanding its cyber and nuclear capabilities. SIPRI’s report, titled Trends in World Military Expenditure 2024, also pointed out a significant rise in Europe’s military spending, which surged by 17% to USD 693 billion, largely driven by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia’s military budget rose by 38% to USD 149 billion, marking a substantial increase over the past few years.

Ukraine’s military expenditure increased by 2.9% to USD 64.7 billion, taking up 43% of Russia’s spending. SIPRI noted that Ukraine currently allocates 34% of its GDP to defense, the highest military burden in the world.

Germany and Poland saw notable increases in military spending, with Germany’s budget rising by 28% to USD 88.5 billion, while Poland’s military expenditure grew by 31% to USD 38 billion, reflecting the heightened security concerns in Europe.