India’s military expenditure increased to $71.1 billion in 2019 to be the third highest military spending globally. Last year, India was the fourth largest spender. Experts associate India’s rising spending to growing tensions at Indian borders and geopolitical confrontations with notorious neighbors.
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India’s Military Spending According to the report published by Swedish think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India holds 3rd position in military expenditure in the world. Net spending has increased to $71.1 billion in 2019, which is 6.8% higher than last year. Military expenditure comprises salaries, benefits, operational expenses, arms and equipment purchases, military construction, research and development, central administration, command, and support.
Increasing tensions on the borders and geopolitical frictions with Pakistan and China may have played a great role in increasing India’s military expenditure. China has also increased its defence spending by 5.1% to $261 billion, which is the second highest in the world.
World and Military Expenditure The world’s total military expenditure was $1,917 dollars in 2019. It is 3.6% higher than in 2018. To maintain supremacy over the world and geopolitical matters, the US has spent the highest amount of money on its military i.e. $732 billion. Fierce increase of 5.3% in military expenditure by the USA is equivalent to the entire military expenditure of one year of Germany. This is for the first time that two Asian countries are in the top three military expenditures. The combined expenditure of these top three giants is around 62% of the total global military expenditure.
The recent growth in US military spending is largely based on a perceived return to competition between the great powers Pieter D. Wezeman, Senior Researcher, SIPRI
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