Military spending rises to $1.8 trillion, India among top 5 spenders

IndiaandChinawereamongthefivebiggest military spenders, which together accounted for 60 per cent of the total global defence expenditure of $1.739 trillion in 2017, a SwedisharmswatchdogsaidonWednesday. In a report, the Stockholm International PeaceResearchInstitute(SIPRI) saidChina’s militaryexpenditureroseagainin2017, continuing an upward trend that has lasted for more than two decades. According to the arms watchdog, the five top military spenders in 2017 were the US, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia and India.

It said the total global military spending rose to $1.739 trillion which is an increase of 1.1 per cent compared to the expenditure in 2016. “Continuing high world military expenditure is a cause for serious concern,” Jan Eliasson, chair of the SIPRI governing board, said.

“It undermines the search for peaceful solutions to conflicts around the world,” he said.

The report said that China’s military spending, at an estimated $228 billion, accounted for 48 per cent of the total defence spending in the Asia and Oceania region, and was 3.6 times that of the region’s second largest spender, India. India spent $63.9 billion on its military in 2017, an increase of 5.5 per cent compared with 2016 and of 45 per cent since 2008. “The Indian government plans to expand, modernise and enhance the operational capability of its armed forces motivated, at least partially, by tensions with China and Pakistan,” the report said. Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI, said, “Tensions between China and many of its neighbours continue to drive the growth in military spending in Asia.” According to the report, China’s spending as a share of world military expenditure has risen from 5.8 per cent in 2008 to 13 per cent in 2017.

Top 5 military spenders in 2017 were the US, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia and India