New Delhi's defence spending rose by 5.5 per cent to US$63.9 billion (S$85.3 billion) in 2017 and has now passed France, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a report released yesterday. Worldwide military spending rose marginally last year to US$1.73 trillion, or roughly 2.2 per cent of global gross domestic product, the think-tank said.
"The Indian government plans to expand, modernise and enhance the operational capability of its armed forces, motivated at least partially by tensions with China and Pakistan," the report read.
However, the group said the balance of military spending is "clearly shifting" towards Asia, Oceania and the Middle East, driven largely by spending increases in China, India and Saudi Arabia.
China spends far more on its military than any other power in Asia. Beijing's share of worldwide military expenditure rose to 13 per cent in 2017 from just 5.8 per cent in 2008, according to SIPRI.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/india-among-top-five-defence-spenders-in-world
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