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The sound of war is ringing all over the world. Conflict between Israel and Hamas after Russia-Ukraine war. Besides, the tension between Israel and Iran is changing the global context. The war has led to worldwide military spending that exceeds all previous records.
Global military spending rose 6.8 percent last year to a record $2.4 trillion. Not only that, but for the first time since 2009, military spending has increased in all geographies of the world. This information has emerged in a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (CPRI) in Sweden.
It is said that the United States is at the top by spending 37 percent of the world's total military expenditure. Last year the country spent $916 billion; Which is 2.3 percent more than the previous year. The list is followed by China ($296 billion, 12 percent of global spending), Russia ($109 billion, 4.5 percent), India ($83.6 billion, 3.4 percent) and Saudi Arabia ($75.8 billion). dollar, 3.1 percent).
Besides, the United Kingdom spent 74.9 billion, Germany 66.8 billion, Ukraine 64.8 billion, France 61.3 billion, Japan 50.2 billion, Israel 27.5 billion and Pakistan 8.5 billion dollars during the same period.
Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Oceania, North and South America — all regions saw military spending increase. The largest percentage increase in military spending in 2023 is in DR Congo (105 percent). The country's military is fighting various armed groups.
Cipri researcher Chiao Liang said the military is being used to fight organized crime and gang violence in Mexico and El Salvador. He also said that the same trend is seen in Ecuador and Brazil.
• The Ukraine-Russia war cost Ukraine $64.8 billion in military spending in 2023. Which is 51 percent more than the previous year. However, the country received $35 billion in military aid in 2023. As a result, Ukraine spent nearly $100 billion on the military last year. Russia spent $109 billion during the same period.
However, as a percentage of GDP, Ukraine spends 37 percent of its GDP on the military. Compared to that, Russia spent 5.9 percent. As a result, “the war has become more of a burden on Ukraine than on Russia,” Liang said.
• Sino-Taiwan crisis increases military spending in 2023 due to tensions in the South China Sea. China increased its spending by 6 percent from the previous year to $296 billion. China accounts for half of the total military spending in Asia and Oceania.
Cipri researcher Liang said China has increased military spending to prepare the People's Liberation Army for war. Besides, he thinks that Japan, Taiwan and India have also increased their military budget due to China's increase in military expenditure. Japan ($50.2 billion) and Taiwan ($16.6 billion) increased their military budgets by 11 percent.
“We are living in an era when military security is becoming a priority again and the issue of security is being defined in terms of military structures,” said Niklas Schoernig, a political scientist at the Peace Research Institute in Frankfurt, Germany. In that sense, the numbers are just a reflection of that mindset.''
Referring to Ukraine and recent Iranian attacks on Israel and later Israel's attack on Iran, he said that nowadays defense has become more expensive than attacking. He said, the world has entered a new era; Where weapons are getting out of control. Because most arms control treaties are outdated or no longer in force.
Bangladesh /TR
