News Analysis
Defense budget outlays of different nation states reveal a picture altogether different from perceptions commonly held by public- even aware citizenry. For instance data on the site of Global Firepower.com shows how Saudi Arabia has become the top third spender with $56 billion per annum and India now ranks 7th with $40 billion.
United States defense budget, at a almost $600 billion, is more than the combined budget of China, Russia, UK, France, Germany and India. This explains the disproportionate power and reach of Pentagon across the world.
Global Firepower, GFP, is an open source site affiliated with MilitaryFactory.com sites that provides figures publicly available. In its article: “Defense Budget by Country” it provides actual figures of 2015 expenditures from more than 100 countries. These figures that shatter the myths held by public, media, civil society and politicians and raise the interesting question: How most in media and civil society come to form their opinions?
Defense Budget by Country – Global Fire Power
The United States has the largest defense budget with $581 billion which is almost four times the defence budget of China which is its main competitor and ranks second on the global list of defense expenditures. But Saudi Arabia surprises us by its enormous figure of $56.7 Billion; but more so because it is now third defense spender on the global list.
United States defense budget, at almost $600 billion, is more than the combined budget of China, Russia, UK, France, Germany and India. This explains the disproportionate power and reach of Pentagon across the world.
Apparently Pakistan’s ability to control its defense expenditure comes from reliance upon tactical devices.
Interestingly Pakistan’s defence outlay of $7 Billion is at 27th position at the top in sharp contrast to its regional rival India which stands 7th in ranking with enormous spending of $40 Billion.
Read more: Cold War new norm between India & Pakistan..?
These figures reveal that most civil society activists, politicians and media pundits who keep on harping on the massive defense expenditure in Pakistan are ill-informed and have very little understanding of the issue. While their argument that poor nations, or any perhaps any nation, should not divert much needed resources from education, health and public welfare into defense makes sense. But their inability to structure their point of view in the realistic context of regional situation only weakens their stand point.
DTN Pakistan: Regional moot demands reduction in defence expenditure: KARACHI: Speakers on the first day of the … http://t.co/W4bWbbME
— DTN Pakistan (@DTNPakistan) March 13, 2012
Surprisingly, India’s massive defence outlay, $40 billion, seldom becomes an issue in Indian politics, media and civil society despite the fact that majority of Indians live in the situations of extreme poverty.
Pakistan’s defense budget appears to be comparatively much smaller despite half a million standing troops because it relies primarily upon missile technology, and its ability to deliver small pay loads, as deterrence. In recent years India, supported by United States, has tried imposing curbs on Pakistan’s build up of small tactical devices. But apparently Pakistan’s ability to control its defense expenditure comes from reliance upon tactical devices.
Surprisingly, India’s massive defence outlay, $40 billion, seldom becomes an issue in Indian politics, media and civil society despite the fact that majority of Indians live in the situations of extreme poverty.
This data was published in Global Firepower.