New Delhi, April 29 -- India's military spending increased by 8.9% to $92.1 billion, according to a report released by arms watchdog group SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute). This makes India the fifth-largest military spender in 2025, after the United States, China, Russia, and Germany.

Together, these countries accounted for 58% of the world's total military spending, which reached a whopping $2,887 billion in 2025, new data published by SIPRI on 27 April shows.

The report attributed the increase in India's military expenditure to the brief conflict with neighbouring Pakistan in May last year. The conflict required India to use combat aircraft, drones, and missiles, thereby pushing up military spending during the...