China vs India: Military spending sipri
China
335.02 billion
in 2025
India
93.25 billion
in 2025
China rank
2nd
India rank
5th
Military spending sipri over time
- China
- India
How they compare
China currently reports 335.02 billion against 93.25 billion in India, a difference of 241.76 billion.
That makes China's figure about 3.6 times India's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 37 shared years of data; in 1989 it was India ahead.
China ranks 2nd and India ranks 5th of 162 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 4 and India in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.91 billion | 22.19 billion | 2.29 billion | India |
| 1990s | 27.55 billion | 23.56 billion | 3.99 billion | China |
| 2000s | 76.18 billion | 40.44 billion | 35.74 billion | China |
| 2010s | 187.96 billion | 64.51 billion | 123.46 billion | China |
| 2020s | 288.63 billion | 84.54 billion | 204.09 billion | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military spending sipri, China or India?
- China, at 335.02 billion against 93.25 billion in India as of 2025.
- What is the difference in military spending sipri between China and India?
- 241.76 billion, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 37 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2025.
- How do China and India rank globally for military spending sipri?
- China ranks 2nd and India ranks 5th of 162 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Military spending sipri. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.