Pakistan’s defense spending rose by 11 percent to reach $11.9 billion in 2025, largely driven by fresh weapons purchases following last year’s conflict with India, according to a new global military expenditure report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The report noted that the increase was mainly due to new procurement deals for aircraft and missile systems from China after the armed clash between Pakistan and India in May 2025. In addition, payments for earlier defense contracts nearing completion also contributed to the overall rise in military expenditure during the year.
India, ranked as the world’s fifth-largest military spender, also increased its defense budget amid rising regional tensions. SIPRI data shows India’s military spending grew by 8.9 percent, reaching $92.1 billion in 2025. The surge followed losses during the May conflict, where several fighter jets were reportedly destroyed in engagements with the Pakistan Air Force. As a result, India significantly revised its defense allocations, boosting capital spending on aircraft systems by around 50 percent, while operational and personnel expenses for its air force rose by 18 percent compared to initial estimates.
Globally, military expenditure continued to climb, increasing by 2.9 percent in real terms to hit $2.887 trillion in 2025. This marked the 11th consecutive year of growth in worldwide defense spending, with a 41 percent increase recorded over the past decade. However, SIPRI highlighted that the growth rate slowed compared to 2024, when global spending had surged by 9.7 percent, making 2025 the slowest annual increase since 2021.
The global military burden, measured as a share of GDP, edged up from 2.4 percent in 2024 to 2.5 percent in 2025. Defense spending accounted for an average of 6.9 percent of total government expenditure worldwide, slightly lower than the previous year’s 7.0 percent. On a per-person basis, global military spending reached $352 in 2025.
Despite a reduction in defense outlays by the United States, the world’s largest military spender, total global expenditure still increased. SIPRI attributed this trend to significant rises in European defense budgets along with continued growth across Asia and Oceania. Excluding the US, global military spending expanded by 9.2 percent during the year.
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