Introduction
Defense spending is the single clearest measure of national military commitment. It pays for everything: salaries, training, equipment, maintenance, research, pensions, and the day-to-day cost of keeping a force ready. But raw spending is not the same as capability. A dollar spent on Russian conscript wages buys something very different from a dollar spent on American F-35 maintenance. Still, budgets reveal priorities in a way nothing else does.
Why This Ranking Matters
The top of the list is dominated by a handful of nations. The United States alone accounts for a larger share of global defense spending than the next several countries combined. Spending has been climbing almost everywhere since 2022, driven by the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Indo-Pacific, and the broader erosion of the post-Cold War security order. Watching who is raising spending — and how fast — is a leading indicator of where geopolitical pressure is building.
Full Ranking Table
| Rank | Country | Annual Defense Budget | Power Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 🇺🇸 United States | $877.0B | 110.15 |
| #2 | 🇨🇳 China | $292.0B | 64.39 |
| #3 | 🇷🇺 Russia | $86.4B | 84.41 |
| #4 | 🇮🇳 India | $81.4B | 40.11 |
| #5 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $75.0B | 10.03 |
| #6 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $68.5B | 9.54 |
| #7 | 🇩🇪 Germany | $55.7B | 7.31 |
| #8 | 🇫🇷 France | $53.6B | 11.73 |
| #9 | 🇯🇵 Japan | $50.2B | 13.45 |
| #10 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | $46.4B | 19.72 |
| #11 | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | $44.0B | 18.88 |
| #12 | 🇮🇹 Italy | $33.5B | 8.69 |
| #13 | 🇦🇺 Australia | $32.3B | 4.69 |
| #14 | 🇨🇦 Canada | $26.5B | 3.8 |
| #15 | 🇮🇷 Iran | $24.6B | 17.77 |
| #16 | 🇮🇱 Israel | $23.4B | 8.33 |
| #17 | 🇪🇸 Spain | $20.3B | 5.55 |
| #18 | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | $20.0B | 2.69 |
| #19 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | $19.7B | 9.57 |
| #20 | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | $19.0B | 8.4 |
| #21 | 🇵🇱 Poland | $16.6B | 5.74 |
| #22 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $13.9B | 2.42 |
| #23 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | $12.0B | 3.35 |
| #24 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | $11.8B | 7.47 |
| #25 | 🇹🇷 Turkey | $10.6B | 13.1 |
| #26 | 🇰🇵 North Korea | $10.0B | 34.53 |
| #27 | 🇨🇴 Colombia | $10.0B | 8.58 |
| #28 | 🇮🇶 Iraq | $10.0B | 5.64 |
| #29 | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | $9.3B | 11.19 |
| #30 | 🇩🇿 Algeria | $9.1B | 8.19 |
| #31 | 🇴🇲 Oman | $9.0B | 1.84 |
| #32 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | $8.7B | 3.92 |
| #33 | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | $7.9B | 11.5 |
| #34 | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | $7.8B | 19.43 |
| #35 | 🇳🇴 Norway | $7.5B | 2.16 |
| #36 | 🇬🇷 Greece | $7.5B | 7.36 |
| #37 | 🇹🇭 Thailand | $7.4B | 11.24 |
| #38 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | $6.0B | 1.65 |
| #39 | 🇫🇮 Finland | $6.0B | 2.72 |
| #40 | 🇶🇦 Qatar | $6.0B | 2.13 |
| #41 | 🇷🇴 Romania | $6.0B | 2.88 |
| #42 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | $5.5B | 1.55 |
| #43 | 🇨🇱 Chile | $5.5B | 3.4 |
| #44 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | $5.4B | 9.0 |
| #45 | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | $4.5B | 4.57 |
| #46 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | $4.4B | 16.57 |
| #47 | 🇵🇭 Philippines | $4.3B | 3.9 |
| #48 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | $4.0B | 1.63 |
| #49 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | $4.0B | 2.93 |
| #50 | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | $4.0B | 2.31 |
| #51 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | $3.7B | 1.35 |
| #52 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | $3.6B | 2.65 |
| #53 | 🇦🇷 Argentina | $3.1B | 3.06 |
| #54 | 🇯🇴 Jordan | $2.5B | 4.13 |
| #55 | 🇵🇪 Peru | $2.5B | 2.87 |
| #56 | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | $2.2B | 3.82 |
| #57 | 🇸🇾 Syria | $2.0B | 5.08 |
| #58 | 🇰🇪 Kenya | $1.1B | 1.36 |
| #59 | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | $1.0B | 3.35 |
| #60 | 🇸🇩 Sudan | $1.0B | 2.92 |
| #61 | 🇦🇴 Angola | $1.0B | 3.45 |
| #62 | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | $1.0B | 3.2 |
| #63 | 🇨🇺 Cuba | $1.0B | 2.27 |
Analysis: The Top 5
1. 🇺🇸 United States
First place in 2026 goes to United States, with $877.0B on this metric. Its overall Power Index of 110.15 reflects a broader balance of capabilities; this specific ranking is one facet of a larger strategic picture. For the complete military breakdown, see the United States country profile.
2. 🇨🇳 China
Second place in 2026 goes to China, with $292.0B on this metric. Its overall Power Index of 64.39 reflects a broader balance of capabilities; this specific ranking is one facet of a larger strategic picture. For the complete military breakdown, see the China country profile.
3. 🇷🇺 Russia
Third place in 2026 goes to Russia, with $86.4B on this metric. Its overall Power Index of 84.41 reflects a broader balance of capabilities; this specific ranking is one facet of a larger strategic picture. For the complete military breakdown, see the Russia country profile.
4. 🇮🇳 India
Fourth place in 2026 goes to India, with $81.4B on this metric. Its overall Power Index of 40.11 reflects a broader balance of capabilities; this specific ranking is one facet of a larger strategic picture. For the complete military breakdown, see the India country profile.
5. 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Fifth place in 2026 goes to Saudi Arabia, with $75.0B on this metric. Its overall Power Index of 10.03 reflects a broader balance of capabilities; this specific ranking is one facet of a larger strategic picture. For the complete military breakdown, see the Saudi Arabia country profile.
Key Takeaways
Rankings like this one are useful precisely because they force comparison. A country in the top 10 of one metric may be near the bottom of another — and understanding that asymmetry is the whole point. Use this ranking alongside our other leaderboards and our head-to-head comparison tool to build a complete picture of where each nation stands. The rankings will be updated annually as new data becomes available from our open-source providers.