The world has been arming itself with military weapons with a worrisome pace since the end of the Cold War in 1989.
According to the annual report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in 2024 the global military spending reached $2.718 trillion, becoming the highest figure ever recorded.
The report also suggested that the raise in global military spending has no end and the world will be seeing "further global increases in the coming years."
United States takes the crown in military spending
As per the report, the United States topped the chart as the world's biggest military spender, with the total cost of almost a trillion dollars in 2024.
The spending was attributed to powerful military items including F-35 fighters and their combat systems, new ships for the US Navy, and missile defence.
Along with that, the military expenditure also witnessed a significant growth in Europe and the Middle East due to ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Here's a list of top 10 country with the highest military spending:
The top 10 countries in the list published by SIPRI made up around 73 percent of the world's total military spending in 2024.
1. United States ($997 billion)
2. China (around $314 billion)
3. Russia (around $149 billion)
4. Germany ($88.5 billion)
5. India ($86.1 billion)
6. United Kingdom ($81.8 billion)
7. Saudi Arabia (around $80.3 billion)
8. Ukraine ($64.7 billion)
9. France ($64.7 billion)
10. Japan ($55.3 billion)
