Military spending in India
India: Military spending was 93.25 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
93.25 billion constant 2024 US$
Change on year
up 8.9%
World rank
5th
of 162 countries
All-time high
93.25 billion constant 2024 US$
in 2025
All-time low
3.05 billion constant 2024 US$
in 1956
Years of data
70
1956–2025
Military spending in India, 1956–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
India recorded 93.25 billion constant 2024 US$ for military spending in 2025. That is the highest value across all 70 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.9% on the previous year and up 52.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in India peaked at 93.25 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025 and was at its lowest, 3.05 billion constant 2024 US$, in 1956.
That places India 5th out of 162 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in India, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 3.05 billion constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1957 | 3.64 billion constant 2024 US$ | +19.6% |
| 1958 | 3.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.2% |
| 1959 | 3.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | -7.7% |
| 1960 | 3.40 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.0% |
| 1961 | 3.67 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.9% |
| 1962 | 5.04 billion constant 2024 US$ | +37.4% |
| 1963 | 8.26 billion constant 2024 US$ | +63.7% |
| 1964 | 8.06 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.4% |
| 1965 | 7.88 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.3% |
| 1966 | 7.42 billion constant 2024 US$ | -5.8% |
| 1967 | 6.93 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.6% |
| 1968 | 7.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.6% |
| 1969 | 7.61 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.0% |
| 1970 | 7.84 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 9.35 billion constant 2024 US$ | +19.2% |
| 1972 | 9.86 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 8.71 billion constant 2024 US$ | -11.7% |
| 1974 | 8.11 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.9% |
| 1975 | 9.10 billion constant 2024 US$ | +12.2% |
| 1976 | 10.45 billion constant 2024 US$ | +14.8% |
| 1977 | 9.93 billion constant 2024 US$ | -5.0% |
| 1978 | 10.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.6% |
| 1979 | 11.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.8% |
| 1980 | 11.48 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 12.12 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 13.16 billion constant 2024 US$ | +8.5% |
| 1983 | 13.61 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 14.40 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 16.15 billion constant 2024 US$ | +12.2% |
| 1986 | 19.10 billion constant 2024 US$ | +18.2% |
| 1987 | 20.57 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.7% |
| 1988 | 21.06 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 22.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.4% |
| 1990 | 21.86 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 20.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.6% |
| 1992 | 19.51 billion constant 2024 US$ | -4.4% |
| 1993 | 22.03 billion constant 2024 US$ | +12.9% |
| 1994 | 22.13 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 22.80 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 23.21 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 25.69 billion constant 2024 US$ | +10.7% |
| 1998 | 26.81 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 31.15 billion constant 2024 US$ | +16.2% |
| 2000 | 32.14 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 33.26 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 33.16 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 33.90 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 39.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | +16.2% |
| 2005 | 41.91 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 42.25 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 42.76 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 48.50 billion constant 2024 US$ | +13.4% |
| 2009 | 57.10 billion constant 2024 US$ | +17.7% |
| 2010 | 57.33 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 57.86 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 57.56 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 57.60 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 60.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 60.98 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 67.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | +10.2% |
| 2017 | 71.94 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.0% |
| 2018 | 74.47 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 79.73 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 80.21 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 79.70 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 83.22 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 85.23 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 85.60 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 93.25 billion constant 2024 US$ | +8.9% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 93.25 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 557.82 million constant 2024 US$, 167.2× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +63.7% | 5.04 billion constant 2024 US$ | 8.26 billion constant 2024 US$ |
| 1962 | +37.4% | 3.67 billion constant 2024 US$ | 5.04 billion constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.43 billion constant 2024 US$ | 3.05 billion constant 2024 US$ | 3.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | 4 |
| 1960s | 6.54 billion constant 2024 US$ | 3.40 billion constant 2024 US$ | 8.26 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.49 billion constant 2024 US$ | 7.84 billion constant 2024 US$ | 11.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.39 billion constant 2024 US$ | 11.48 billion constant 2024 US$ | 22.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.56 billion constant 2024 US$ | 19.51 billion constant 2024 US$ | 31.15 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.44 billion constant 2024 US$ | 32.14 billion constant 2024 US$ | 57.10 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.51 billion constant 2024 US$ | 57.33 billion constant 2024 US$ | 79.73 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 84.54 billion constant 2024 US$ | 79.70 billion constant 2024 US$ | 93.25 billion constant 2024 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 2 China 335.02 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 3 Russia 158.24 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 4 Germany 106.73 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 6 United Kingdom 87.98 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 7 Saudi Arabia 81.47 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 8 Ukraine 77.56 billion constant 2024 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 93.25 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 93.25 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.05 billion constant 2024 US$ in 1956.
- How does India rank for military spending?
- India ranks 5th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – 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 — 70 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.