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NEW DELHI :
The United States, China, and India were the world’s top three military spenders in 2019, followed by Russia and Saudi Arabia. The two Asian countries made it to the top three for the first time, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) said Monday.
The three countries were ahead of Russia ($ 65 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($ 61.8 billion) which together constituted the world’s leading military spenders, accounting for 62% of global military spending, including wages, benefits, operating expenses, arms and equipment purchases, military construction, research and development, central administration, command and support.
Total global spending increased to almost $ 2 trillion in 2019, 3.6% more than in 2018, Sipri said in a statement.
“This is the first time that two Asian states have been among the top three military spenders,” he said.
“India’s tensions and rivalry with Pakistan and China are among the main drivers of its increased military spending,” said Siemon T. Wezeman, senior researcher at Sipri.
“Total (spending) for 2019 represents a 3.6% increase from 2018 and the largest annual growth in spending since 2010,” Sipri said, adding that “global military spending in 2019 represented 2.2% of gross domestic product ( GDP) worldwide, equivalent to approximately $ 249 per person. “
“This is the highest level of spending since the 2008 global financial crisis and probably represents a peak in spending,” said Nan Tian, a researcher at Sipri.
However, the novel coronavirus or the covid-19 pandemic that caused countries to close borders and impose blockades have halted economic activity.
This is likely to “disrupt” future military spending, Sipri said, pointing to data collected from previous global economic recessions.
In Asia, in 2019, India and China topped the list of military spenders with India spending growing 6.8% to $ 71.1 billion, outpacing those of Japan ($ 47.6 billion) and those of Korea. del Sur ($ 43.9 billion).
China’s military spending reached $ 261 billion in 2019, an increase of 5.1% from 2018.
Globally, it is the United States that is driving the growth of military sales, with an increase in spending from 5.3% to $ 732 billion, which represents 38% of global spending.
“The recent growth in US military spending is largely based on the perceived return to competition among the great powers,” says Pieter D. Wezeman, principal investigator at Sipri.
The average burden of military spending was 1.4% of GDP for the countries of the Americas, 1.6% for Africa, 1.7% for Asia and Oceania and for Europe, and 4.5% for Western Asia. Sipri’s statement added.
In Europe, Germany’s military spending increased 10% in 2019 to $ 49.3 billion, the largest increase among the top 15 military spenders in 2019.
“The growth in German military spending can be partly explained by the perception of a greater threat from Russia, shared by many member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). At the same time, however, military spending in France and the United Kingdom remained relatively stable, “said Diego Lopes da Silva, a researcher at Sipri.
In 2019, Russia was the fourth largest spender in the world and increased its military spending by 4.5% to $ 65.1 billion.
“At 3.9% of its GDP, Russia’s military spending burden was among the highest in Europe in 2019,” said Alexandra Kuimova, a researcher at Sipri.
