Pakistan’s military spending decreased during PTI Government. A report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says Pakistan spent nearly $11.3 billion for military purposes in 2021, showing a nominal decrease of 0.7% from 2020.
Pakistan’s military budget has been under debate for several decades. However, no civilian or military government could lessen the budget owing to severe wartime challenges for the country. Resultantly, there was a continuous increase in the military budget since 1960’s when Pakistan spent only $0.21 billion for its defense budget.
Earlier, this declining trend was observed from 1995 until 2001. Pakistan spent $ 3.67 billion on defense in the year 1995. However, the continuous declining trend brought the same budget to $ 2.84 billion in 2001. Since than, Pakistan’s military spending saw a continuous increase until 2018. Pakistan spent $11.53 billion in 2018 under its military head.
Military Budget of Pakistan
Most pertinently, there was a significant increase in the military budget during the previous PMLN government from 2013 until 2018. Pakistan’s military spending for the year 2013 was $7.65 billion during the regime’s beginning. There was a continuous increase of 3-4 % annually during the five year rule of PMLN. Resultantly, the military spending amounted to a whopping $11.53 billion in 2018.
Pakistan’s military saw first budget cuts in 2019 with spending decrease up to 3.98% for an amount of $10.26 billion.
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SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into arms control and disarmament. It says Pakistan’s military expenditure is equivalent to 3.8% of country’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Pakistan is on 23rd spot on the list of countries with highest military spending in the world. On the contrary, Pakistan’s archrival India has the third highest military expenditure in the world. It spent $76.6 billion on defence, recording an increase of 0.9% from a year ago. India’s military spending is around 2.7% of its total GDP and 3.6 percent of total global military expenditure.