India 3rd highest military spender

World military spending continued to grow in 2021, reaching a record $2.1 trillion despite the economic fallout of the pandemic, according to new data published by the SIPRI.

Rank of India’s Spending

• India’s military spending of $76.6 billion ranked third highest in the world.
• This was up by 0.9% from 2020 and by 33% from 2012.

Top defence spenders in 2021

• The five largest spenders in 2021 were the U.S., China, India, the U.K. and Russia, together accounting for 62% of expenditure.
• The U.S. and China alone accounted for 52%.

India’s defence expenditure

• India’s military spending of $76.6 billion ranked third highest in the world.
• This was up by 0.9% from 2020 and by 33% from 2012.
• Amid ongoing tensions and border disputes with China and Pakistan that occasionally spill over into armed clashes, India has prioritised the modernisation of its armed forces and self-reliance in arms production, the report said.

Russia and Ukraine

• Russia increased its military expenditure by 2.9% in 2021, to $65.9 billion, at a time when it was building up its forces along the Ukrainian border.
• On Ukraine, the report remarked that as it had strengthened its defences against Russia, its military spending “has risen by 72% since the annexation of Crimea in 2014”.
• Spending fell in 2021, to $5.9 billion, but still accounted for 3.2% of the country’s GDP.

Exam Track

Prelims Takeaway

• India’s military capabilities
• Atma nirbhar Bharat Mission

Mains Track

Q. India has been stacking its military capabilities in light of present geopolitical chaos and threats from its immediate neighbours. Explain what other initiatives India could take in order to solve these issues diplomatically.