India boosts defence spending after Operation Sindoor, ranks fifth globally

India’s military spending rose by 8.9 per cent to $92.1 billion in 2025, making it the world’s fifth largest military spender, according to new data published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute on April 27, 2026. The report said global military expenditure reached $2,887 billion in 2025, up 2.9 per cent in real terms from 2024, marking the 11th consecutive year of increase. The SIPRI data showed that while military spending fell in the United States, it rose sharply in Europe and Asia and Oceania. India’s increase came in a year that saw its action against Pakistan and its…