Military expenditure in India
India: Military expenditure was 86.13 billion current USD in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
86.13 billion current USD
Change on year
up 4.7%
World rank
5th
of 168 countries
All-time high
86.13 billion current USD
in 2024
All-time low
681.77 million current USD
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Military expenditure in India, 1960–2024
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current USD.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military expenditure in India is 86.13 billion current USD, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is up 4.7% on the previous year and up 69.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in India peaked at 86.13 billion current USD in 2024 and was at its lowest, 681.77 million current USD, in 1960.
India ranks 5th of 168 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 expenditure in India, year by year
| Year | current USD | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 681.77 million current USD | — |
| 1961 | 748.39 million current USD | +9.8% |
| 1962 | 1.07 billion current USD | +42.4% |
| 1963 | 1.80 billion current USD | +68.5% |
| 1964 | 1.99 billion current USD | +10.6% |
| 1965 | 2.13 billion current USD | +7.0% |
| 1966 | 1.66 billion current USD | -21.9% |
| 1967 | 1.49 billion current USD | -10.4% |
| 1968 | 1.59 billion current USD | +6.7% |
| 1969 | 1.69 billion current USD | +6.6% |
| 1970 | 1.83 billion current USD | +8.4% |
| 1971 | 2.26 billion current USD | +23.0% |
| 1972 | 2.50 billion current USD | +10.7% |
| 1973 | 2.53 billion current USD | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 2.90 billion current USD | +14.4% |
| 1975 | 3.32 billion current USD | +14.8% |
| 1976 | 3.29 billion current USD | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 3.48 billion current USD | +5.5% |
| 1978 | 3.98 billion current USD | +14.3% |
| 1979 | 4.59 billion current USD | +15.4% |
| 1980 | 5.42 billion current USD | +18.1% |
| 1981 | 5.88 billion current USD | +8.5% |
| 1982 | 6.30 billion current USD | +7.2% |
| 1983 | 6.83 billion current USD | +8.4% |
| 1984 | 6.96 billion current USD | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 7.57 billion current USD | +8.8% |
| 1986 | 9.54 billion current USD | +26.1% |
| 1987 | 10.88 billion current USD | +14.0% |
| 1988 | 11.35 billion current USD | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 10.59 billion current USD | -6.7% |
| 1990 | 10.54 billion current USD | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 8.62 billion current USD | -18.2% |
| 1992 | 8.08 billion current USD | -6.3% |
| 1993 | 8.25 billion current USD | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 8.88 billion current USD | +7.6% |
| 1995 | 9.75 billion current USD | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 9.90 billion current USD | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 11.46 billion current USD | +15.8% |
| 1998 | 11.92 billion current USD | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 13.90 billion current USD | +16.6% |
| 2000 | 14.29 billion current USD | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 14.60 billion current USD | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 14.75 billion current USD | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 16.33 billion current USD | +10.7% |
| 2004 | 20.24 billion current USD | +23.9% |
| 2005 | 23.07 billion current USD | +14.0% |
| 2006 | 23.95 billion current USD | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 28.25 billion current USD | +18.0% |
| 2008 | 33.00 billion current USD | +16.8% |
| 2009 | 38.72 billion current USD | +17.3% |
| 2010 | 46.09 billion current USD | +19.0% |
| 2011 | 49.63 billion current USD | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 47.22 billion current USD | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 47.40 billion current USD | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 50.91 billion current USD | +7.4% |
| 2015 | 51.30 billion current USD | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 56.64 billion current USD | +10.4% |
| 2017 | 64.56 billion current USD | +14.0% |
| 2018 | 66.26 billion current USD | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 71.47 billion current USD | +7.9% |
| 2020 | 72.94 billion current USD | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 76.35 billion current USD | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 79.98 billion current USD | +4.8% |
| 2023 | 82.29 billion current USD | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 86.13 billion current USD | +4.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 86.13 billion current USD is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 493.99 million current USD, 174.3× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure 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 | +68.5% | 1.07 billion current USD | 1.80 billion current USD |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.48 billion current USD | 681.77 million current USD | 2.13 billion current USD | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.07 billion current USD | 1.83 billion current USD | 4.59 billion current USD | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.13 billion current USD | 5.42 billion current USD | 11.35 billion current USD | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.13 billion current USD | 8.08 billion current USD | 13.90 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.72 billion current USD | 14.29 billion current USD | 38.72 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.15 billion current USD | 46.09 billion current USD | 71.47 billion current USD | 10 |
| 2020s | 79.54 billion current USD | 72.94 billion current USD | 86.13 billion current USD | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
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Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in India?
- Military expenditure in India was 86.13 billion current USD in 2024, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 86.13 billion current USD in 2024.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 681.77 million current USD in 1960.
- How does India rank for military expenditure?
- India ranks 5th out of 168 countries with data for 2024.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current USD). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military spending USD, in current prices (converted at the exchange rate for the given year)