Amid major global conflicts, including the Russian-Ukurein War and the Israeli-Palestine conflict, global military spending reached $2718 billion in 2024, an essentially 9.4% increase from 2023, a sharp increase in year-on-year, at least since the end of the cold war.
Military spending has increased in all world regions, growing rapidly, particularly in both Europe and the Middle East. The top five military spenders in the US, China, Russia, Germany and India accounted for 60% of the global total, with total spending of $163.5 billion.
Sipri, an independent international institute dedicated to studying conflict, arms, arms management and disarmament, said in a report on Monday that military spending in Europe (including Russia) rose 17% to $693 billion, a major contributor to the 2024 global growth.
All European countries increased their military spending in 2024, excluding Malta. Russia’s military spending reached an estimated $149 billion in 2024, up 38% from 2023 and doubled in 2015. This accounts for 7.1% of Russia’s GDP and 19% of Russian government expenditure.
Ukraine’s total military spending rose 2.9% to $64.7 billion, equivalent to 43% of Russia’s spending. At 34% of GDP, Ukraine was the largest military burden in any country in 2024. Several countries in Central and Western Europe saw an unprecedented rise in military spending as they implemented new spending and large-scale procurement plans in 2024.
Germany’s military spending rose 28% to $88.5 billion, becoming the largest Spender in Central and Western Europe and the fourth largest Spender in the world. Poland’s military spending rose 31% to $38 billion in 2024, accounting for 4.2% of Poland’s GDP.
All NATO members also raised military funds in 2024. Total military spending by NATO members reached $150.6 billion, or 55% of global military spending. Of the 32 NATO members, 18 spent at least 2.0% of their GDP in the military, with the highest number from 11 in 2023 since NATO adopted spending guidelines in 2014.
US military spending rose 5.7% to $997 million. This was 66% of NATO spending and 37% of global military spending in 2024. Military spending in the Middle East reached an estimated $243 billion in 2024, up 15% from 2023 and 19% in 2015.
Israel’s military spending rose 65% to $46.5 billion in 2024, the sharpest annual increase since the six-day war in 1967. That military burden rose to 8.8% of GDP, the second highest in the world. Lebanon’s military spending rose 58% to $635 million in 2024, years after years of spending due to economic crisis and political turmoil. However, Iran’s military spending fell 10% to $7.9 billion in 2024, despite involvement in regional conflicts and support for local proxies, Sipri reported.
Meanwhile, China, the world’s second largest military Spender, has grown for the 30th consecutive year, with military spending increased by 7%. China accounted for 50% of all military spending in Asia and Oceania, invested in the continued modernization of the military, and in the expansion of cyberwarfare capabilities and nuclear weapons.
Released on April 28, 2025
