Military spending as a share of GDP in India
India: Military spending as a share of GDP was 2.2% in 2019. ▬ Flat
Latest (2019)
2.2%
Change on year
up 4.5%
World rank
36th
of 172 countries
All-time high
3.3%
in 1965
All-time low
0.6%
in 1947
Years of data
73
1947–2019
Military spending as a share of GDP in India, 1947–2019
Source: Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
India recorded 2.2% for military spending as a share of gdp in 2019.
The figure is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in India peaked at 3.3% in 1965 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1947.
That places India 36th out of 172 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
Military spending as a share of GDP in India, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 0.6% | — |
| 1948 | 1.0% | +73.4% |
| 1949 | 1.9% | +85.0% |
| 1950 | 1.6% | -17.5% |
| 1951 | 1.4% | -8.5% |
| 1952 | 1.5% | +1.3% |
| 1953 | 1.5% | +3.9% |
| 1954 | 1.4% | -9.6% |
| 1955 | 1.4% | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 1.5% | +9.9% |
| 1957 | 1.6% | +5.7% |
| 1958 | 1.6% | +3.3% |
| 1959 | 1.4% | -12.0% |
| 1960 | 1.4% | -4.1% |
| 1961 | 1.5% | +6.9% |
| 1962 | 2.4% | +60.6% |
| 1963 | 3.0% | +25.5% |
| 1964 | 3.0% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 3.3% | +11.2% |
| 1966 | 2.8% | -14.6% |
| 1967 | 2.5% | -12.5% |
| 1968 | 2.3% | -9.1% |
| 1969 | 2.2% | -4.3% |
| 1970 | 2.2% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 2.5% | +16.9% |
| 1972 | 2.5% | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | -11.4% |
| 1974 | 2.1% | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 2.2% | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 2.1% | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 2.1% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 2.1% | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 2.3% | +8.3% |
| 1980 | 2.2% | -3.6% |
| 1981 | 2.2% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 2.3% | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | -4.0% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 2.1% | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 2.3% | +8.5% |
| 1987 | 2.4% | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 2.2% | -6.9% |
| 1989 | 2.0% | -8.4% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 1.6% | -13.9% |
| 1992 | 1.6% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 1.6% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 1.6% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 1.7% | +6.6% |
| 1996 | 1.7% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | +8.8% |
| 1998 | 1.8% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 1.9% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | -12.8% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | +20.7% |
| 2005 | 1.7% | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | +8.5% |
| 2009 | 1.9% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 1.7% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 1.7% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | +7.1% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 1.8% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | +14.3% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | +4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 1.2% | 0.6% | 1.9% | 3 |
| 1950s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.4% | 1.4% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 10 |
Countries ranked near India
More economy & growth data for India
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 5.66 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 8.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4934 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 1,333 current US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), annual growth rate 11.71 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 43.09 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per capita 116,437 current LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 8.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.4642 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending as a share of gdp in India?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in India was 2.2% in 2019, according to Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 1965.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1947.
- How does India rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- India ranks 36th out of 172 countries with data for 2019.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military spending measured as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).