« Back to article

Print this article

World's top 10 military spenders

UNITED STATES: $661 billion (Rs 3,098,100 crore) : According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the world's biggest defence spender has increased its outlay by 75.8 percent since 2000.

World's top 10 military spenders

China - $100 billion (Rs 460,000 crore): Beijing regards its military expenditures as a state secret, but SIPRI estimates that China spent $100 billion on its military in 2009.

World's top 10 military spenders

France:$63.9 billion (Rs 300,000 crore). The biggest military spender in Europe increased its budget 7.4 percent from 2000. France has the world's second-highest per capita military expenditure, at $1,026 (about Rs 47,000) per person per annum.

World's top 10 military spenders

England: $58.1 billion (Rs 271,800 crore) London increased military spending 28.1 percent over the decade. As a percentage of GDP, that's 2.5 percent, and about in line with the world average of 2.7 percent.

World's top 10 military spenders

Russia:  $53.3 billion (Rs 248,400 crore).  Russia's military spending has seen a 105 percent increase since 2000.

World's top 10 military spenders

Japan: $51 billion (Rs 239,000 crore). The world's second-largest economy is focusing revenues away from military, decreasing such spending by 1.3 percent over the past decade. That's less than 1 percent of total GDP

World's top 10 military spenders

Germany: $45.6 billion (Rs 213,700 crore). The biggest economy in Europe has gradually shifted revenues away from defence, causing a 6.7 percent drop in military spending over the past decade.

World's top 10 military spenders

Saudi Arabia: $41.2 billion (RS 193,110 crore). The biggest military spender in the Middle East has increased defense investments 66.9 percent over the past decade.

World's top 10 military spenders

India: $36.3 billion (Rs 170,430 crore). The only Asian country in the top 15 aside from rival China. India spent the ninth highest amount of any country worldwide. That's a 67.3 percent increase over the decade, according to SIPRI. But per capita military spending in India the world's second most-populous country is one of the world's lowest, at just $30.4 (about Rs 1,427) per person.

World's top 10 military spenders

Italy: $35.8 billion (Rs 167,790 crore). Number 10 but spending less. Over the past decade, Rome decreased state military spending by 13.3 percent more than any other country in the top 10. According to SIPRI's annual report, of the 19 states in the G20, only Argentina, Indonesia, and Italy did not increase their military spending in 2009.