France, April 27 -- "Another year of wars, uncertainty and geopolitical upheaval" reflects the trend, according to SIPRI, which warns that military budgets were likely to "keep rising" through 2026 and beyond.

The rise of 2.9 percent in real terms was slower than in 2024, but it still marked the 11th consecutive annual increase and pushed the global military burden to 2.5 percent of GDP, its highest level since 2009.

Europe was the main engine of growth according to SIPRI's latest report that military expenditure in the region climbed by 14 percent in 2025 to $864 billion (€735 billion), while spending in Asia and Oceania rose by 8.1 percent to $681 billion (€630 billion).

The United States was the exception among...