Military expenditure in Asia and Oceania totalled $681 billion in 2025, up 8.1 percent from the previous year and the largest annual rise since 2009, according to data published on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Overall world military expenditure reached $2.887 trillion in 2025, an increase of 2.9 percent in real terms over 2024.
The US, China and Russia remained the top three military spenders, with a combined expenditure of $1.480 trillion, or 51 percent of the global total.
China, the world’s second-largest military spender, increased its military spending by 7.4 percent to $336 billion.
This was the 31st consecutive year-on-year increase as China continued its military modernisation drive.
A renewed campaign against corruption in military procurement does not appear to have constrained spending, according to SIPRI.
India, which remained the world's fifth-largest military spender in 2025, increased its military spending by 8.9 percent to $92.1 billion.
Long-time rival Pakistan’s military spending increased by 11 percent to $11.9 billion.
Japan’s military expenditure rose by 9.7 percent to reach $62.2 billion in 2025, equivalent to 1.4 percent of its GDP — the highest share since 1958.
Taiwan’s military spending rose 14 percent to $18.2 billion, accounting for 2.1 per cent of its GDP. It marked the largest annual increase since at least 1988, against a backdrop of intensifying military exercises around the self-ruled island by China
“US allies in Asia and Oceania such as Australia, Japan and the Philippines are spending more on their militaries, not only due to long-standing regional tensions but also due to growing uncertainty over US support,” said Diego Lopes da Silva, a senior researcher with the SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme.
As in Europe, US allies in Asia and Oceania are also under pressure from the Trump administration to spend more on their militaries, he added.
Military expenditure in the Middle East reached an estimated $218 billion in 2025, just 0.1 percent higher than in 2024.
Besides Israel, most of the major spenders in the region increased their spending.
Israel’s military expenditure decreased by 4.9 percent to $48.3 billion, but nevertheless, remaining 97 percent higher than in 2022.
