Military spending in India
India: Military spending was 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
95.30 billion constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
4th
of 172 countries
All-time high
95.30 billion constant 2022 US$
in 2023
All-time low
1.70 billion constant 2022 US$
in 1947
Years of data
77
1947–2023
Military spending in India, 1947–2023
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
In 2023, military spending in India stood at 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$. That is the highest value across all 77 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 99.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in India peaked at 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.70 billion constant 2022 US$, in 1947.
India ranks 4th of 172 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in India, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 1.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1948 | 2.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | +66.5% |
| 1949 | 5.21 billion constant 2022 US$ | +84.6% |
| 1950 | 4.13 billion constant 2022 US$ | -20.7% |
| 1951 | 3.73 billion constant 2022 US$ | -9.6% |
| 1952 | 3.87 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1953 | 4.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.9% |
| 1954 | 3.83 billion constant 2022 US$ | -6.7% |
| 1955 | 3.81 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.4% |
| 1956 | 4.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | +14.0% |
| 1957 | 4.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.2% |
| 1958 | 5.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | +7.3% |
| 1959 | 4.53 billion constant 2022 US$ | -10.2% |
| 1960 | 4.44 billion constant 2022 US$ | -2.1% |
| 1961 | 4.91 billion constant 2022 US$ | +10.7% |
| 1962 | 8.17 billion constant 2022 US$ | +66.4% |
| 1963 | 10.58 billion constant 2022 US$ | +29.4% |
| 1964 | 11.21 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.9% |
| 1965 | 12.48 billion constant 2022 US$ | +11.4% |
| 1966 | 10.64 billion constant 2022 US$ | -14.8% |
| 1967 | 9.68 billion constant 2022 US$ | -9.0% |
| 1968 | 9.18 billion constant 2022 US$ | -5.2% |
| 1969 | 9.13 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 9.37 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 11.38 billion constant 2022 US$ | +21.4% |
| 1972 | 11.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | -2.4% |
| 1973 | 10.14 billion constant 2022 US$ | -8.7% |
| 1974 | 10.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 10.92 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.6% |
| 1976 | 10.74 billion constant 2022 US$ | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 11.25 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.7% |
| 1978 | 11.28 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 11.98 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.2% |
| 1980 | 12.19 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 12.27 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 13.12 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.9% |
| 1983 | 13.17 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 13.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 13.39 billion constant 2022 US$ | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 15.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | +12.7% |
| 1987 | 16.39 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.6% |
| 1988 | 16.20 billion constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 15.44 billion constant 2022 US$ | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 15.36 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 13.49 billion constant 2022 US$ | -12.2% |
| 1992 | 13.92 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 14.57 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 15.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 17.29 billion constant 2022 US$ | +12.6% |
| 1996 | 18.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 20.90 billion constant 2022 US$ | +15.4% |
| 1998 | 21.83 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 23.19 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.2% |
| 2000 | 24.74 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.7% |
| 2001 | 22.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | -9.9% |
| 2002 | 22.22 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 22.50 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 29.46 billion constant 2022 US$ | +31.0% |
| 2005 | 29.89 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 32.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.0% |
| 2007 | 34.93 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 39.75 billion constant 2022 US$ | +13.8% |
| 2009 | 42.29 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 42.84 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 44.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 44.88 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 47.76 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 53.47 billion constant 2022 US$ | +12.0% |
| 2015 | 58.35 billion constant 2022 US$ | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 60.54 billion constant 2022 US$ | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 72.25 billion constant 2022 US$ | +19.3% |
| 2018 | 77.73 billion constant 2022 US$ | +7.6% |
| 2019 | 82.67 billion constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2020 | 86.51 billion constant 2022 US$ | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 93.72 billion constant 2022 US$ | +8.3% |
| 2022 | 93.06 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 485.52 million constant 2022 US$, 196.3× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- India's 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$ is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.03 billion constant 2022 US$, 93.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | +84.6% | 2.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | 5.21 billion constant 2022 US$ |
| 1948 | +66.5% | 1.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.82 billion constant 2022 US$ |
| 1962 | +66.4% | 4.91 billion constant 2022 US$ | 8.17 billion constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 3.24 billion constant 2022 US$ | 1.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | 5.21 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3 |
| 1950s | 4.21 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.73 billion constant 2022 US$ | 5.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.04 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4.44 billion constant 2022 US$ | 12.48 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | 9.37 billion constant 2022 US$ | 11.98 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.08 billion constant 2022 US$ | 12.19 billion constant 2022 US$ | 16.39 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.40 billion constant 2022 US$ | 13.49 billion constant 2022 US$ | 23.19 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.04 billion constant 2022 US$ | 22.22 billion constant 2022 US$ | 42.29 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.48 billion constant 2022 US$ | 42.84 billion constant 2022 US$ | 82.67 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.15 billion constant 2022 US$ | 86.51 billion constant 2022 US$ | 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 1 United States 1.06 trillion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 2 China 349.48 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 3 Russia 120.26 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 5 Saudi Arabia 88.35 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 6 United Kingdom 84.21 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 7 France 71.97 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in India?
- Military spending in India was 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 95.30 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.70 billion constant 2022 US$ in 1947.
- How does India rank for military spending?
- India ranks 4th out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 99.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 77 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.