EXPLAINER
The US, the most important navy spender on the planet, allocates $880bn to its defence – greater than the subsequent eight international locations mixed.
European leaders are assembly in Paris for an emergency summit to debate how to reply to United States President Donald Trump’s resolution to carry talks with Russia to finish the Ukraine struggle with out European involvement.
Monday’s assembly within the French capital follows the Munich Safety Convention, which ended on Sunday, the place US Vice President JD Vance reiterated Trump’s stance that Europe should improve its defence spending.
In January, Trump referred to as on NATO’s European members to allocate 5 % of their gross nationwide merchandise (GDPs) to defence. NATO Secretary-Common Mark Rutte has additionally inspired member states to extend their defence spending.
How a lot is international navy spending?
World navy spending hit $2.44 trillion in 2023, or $306 per particular person, marking a 6.8 % improve from the earlier yr, in response to the Stockholm Worldwide Peace Analysis Institute (SIPRI). This was the most important year-on-year rise since 2009.
By comparability, in 2000, international navy expenditures had been $798bn, or $130 per capita – lower than a 3rd of the quantity spent immediately.
World navy spending is the entire cash spent by international locations on their navy forces and associated actions. This contains prices for troopers, operations, weapons, tools, analysis and navy infrastructure.
Which international locations spend essentially the most on their militaries?
The US is the most important navy spender on the planet. In 2023, it paid out $880bn – greater than the subsequent eight international locations mixed, in response to SIPRI.
China is the second highest spender with $309bn, adopted by Russia at $126bn, India at $83bn and Saudi Arabia at $74bn.
The desk beneath exhibits the entire navy spending for every nation worldwide in addition to their per capita spending and spending as a share of their GDPs and authorities budgets. Click on on the columns to kind the desk from highest to lowest.
Which nations spend essentially the most on their militaries as a share of GDP?
Resulting from its ongoing struggle with Russia, Ukraine allotted $62bn to its navy in 2023, the very best share of GDP at 36.7 %.
Lebanon ranked second, spending 8.9 % of its GDP, adopted by Algeria at 8.2 %, Saudi Arabia at 7.1 % and South Sudan at 6.3 %.
How a lot does every NATO member spend?
NATO, established in 1949 by 12 founding member states, is the world’s strongest navy alliance. Its unique objective was to restrict Soviet enlargement and promote political unity in Europe.
Over the previous 75 years, its membership has grown to 32 members with Finland and Sweden turning into the most recent international locations to affix in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
In 2006, the alliance’s defence ministers agreed to commit a minimal of two % of their GDPs to defence spending to make sure the navy readiness of the alliance.
At the moment, two-thirds of its members (23 of 32) have fulfilled this dedication, elevating the cash spent on defence by all NATO members to $1.47 trillion in 2024. That is up from simply 10 international locations assembly the two % guideline in 2023 and three international locations assembly the dedication in 2014.
The desk beneath exhibits NATO members’ defence expenditures as a share of GDP, based mostly on NATO’s 2024 report.
