Military expenditure (current LCU) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 21.13 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
21.13 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 5.5%
World rank
98th
of 168 countries
All-time high
21.13 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
130.00 million current LCU
in 1961
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Malaysia, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in Malaysia is 21.13 billion current LCU, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.5% on the previous year and up 19.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Malaysia peaked at 21.13 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 130.00 million current LCU, in 1961.
Malaysia ranks 98th of 168 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 157.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 130.00 million current LCU | -17.2% |
| 1962 | 134.00 million current LCU | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 186.00 million current LCU | +38.8% |
| 1964 | 259.00 million current LCU | +39.2% |
| 1965 | 363.00 million current LCU | +40.2% |
| 1966 | 455.00 million current LCU | +25.3% |
| 1967 | 439.00 million current LCU | -3.5% |
| 1968 | 454.00 million current LCU | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 440.00 million current LCU | -3.1% |
| 1970 | 611.00 million current LCU | +38.9% |
| 1971 | 696.00 million current LCU | +13.9% |
| 1972 | 708.00 million current LCU | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 725.00 million current LCU | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 956.00 million current LCU | +31.9% |
| 1975 | 1.05 billion current LCU | +10.4% |
| 1976 | 1.12 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 1977 | 1.57 billion current LCU | +40.4% |
| 1978 | 1.41 billion current LCU | -10.4% |
| 1979 | 1.70 billion current LCU | +21.2% |
| 1980 | 2.25 billion current LCU | +32.3% |
| 1981 | 3.33 billion current LCU | +47.8% |
| 1982 | 3.36 billion current LCU | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 3.12 billion current LCU | -7.2% |
| 1984 | 2.98 billion current LCU | -4.2% |
| 1985 | 2.67 billion current LCU | -10.4% |
| 1986 | 2.31 billion current LCU | -13.7% |
| 1987 | 3.36 billion current LCU | +45.7% |
| 1988 | 2.24 billion current LCU | -33.4% |
| 1989 | 2.76 billion current LCU | +23.2% |
| 1990 | 3.04 billion current LCU | +10.2% |
| 1991 | 4.32 billion current LCU | +42.1% |
| 1992 | 4.50 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 4.95 billion current LCU | +10.0% |
| 1994 | 5.57 billion current LCU | +12.4% |
| 1995 | 6.12 billion current LCU | +10.0% |
| 1996 | 6.09 billion current LCU | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 5.88 billion current LCU | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 4.55 billion current LCU | -22.6% |
| 1999 | 6.32 billion current LCU | +39.0% |
| 2000 | 5.83 billion current LCU | -7.8% |
| 2001 | 7.35 billion current LCU | +26.2% |
| 2002 | 8.50 billion current LCU | +15.7% |
| 2003 | 10.95 billion current LCU | +28.8% |
| 2004 | 10.73 billion current LCU | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 11.82 billion current LCU | +10.2% |
| 2006 | 11.98 billion current LCU | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 13.65 billion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 2008 | 14.72 billion current LCU | +7.8% |
| 2009 | 13.97 billion current LCU | -5.0% |
| 2010 | 12.41 billion current LCU | -11.2% |
| 2011 | 14.36 billion current LCU | +15.7% |
| 2012 | 13.92 billion current LCU | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 15.49 billion current LCU | +11.3% |
| 2014 | 16.10 billion current LCU | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 17.70 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2016 | 17.30 billion current LCU | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 15.10 billion current LCU | -12.7% |
| 2018 | 13.90 billion current LCU | -7.9% |
| 2019 | 13.52 billion current LCU | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 14.18 billion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 2021 | 15.22 billion current LCU | +7.3% |
| 2022 | 16.16 billion current LCU | +6.2% |
| 2023 | 17.87 billion current LCU | +10.6% |
| 2024 | 20.03 billion current LCU | +12.1% |
| 2025 | 21.13 billion current LCU | +5.5% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 21.13 billion current LCU is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.44 billion current LCU, 38% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 21.13 billion current LCU is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 206.67 billion current LCU, 10% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 301.70 million current LCU | 130.00 million current LCU | 455.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.05 billion current LCU | 611.00 million current LCU | 1.70 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.84 billion current LCU | 2.24 billion current LCU | 3.36 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.13 billion current LCU | 3.04 billion current LCU | 6.32 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.95 billion current LCU | 5.83 billion current LCU | 14.72 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.98 billion current LCU | 12.41 billion current LCU | 17.70 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.43 billion current LCU | 14.18 billion current LCU | 21.13 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 95 Netherlands 25.66 billion current LCU compare
- 96 Afghanistan 23.04 billion current LCU compare
- 97 Singapore 22.79 billion current LCU compare
- 99 North Macedonia 20.45 billion current LCU compare
- 100 Honduras 15.09 billion current LCU compare
- 101 Guinea-Bissau 13.00 billion current LCU compare
More public sector data for Malaysia
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 7.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.1993 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -90.14 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Malaysia?
- Military expenditure in Malaysia was 21.13 billion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 21.13 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 130.00 million current LCU in 1961.
- How does Malaysia rank for military expenditure?
- Malaysia ranks 98th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)