South Caucasus among the most militarized regions in the world according to SIPRI

Azerbaijan and Armenia are among the top ten countries with the highest 'military burden' in the world based on 2025 data.

This is stated in the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published in April 2026.

According to the experts, the share of military spending as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in both South Caucasus countries significantly exceeds the global average, which stood at 2.5% in 2025.

In the global ranking of military spending intensity, Azerbaijan placed 6th in the world. The republic's defense expenditure accounted for 6.5% of its GDP.

Right behind it, in 7th place on the global list, is Armenia with a figure of 6.1% of GDP.

SIPRI analysts note that Azerbaijan also ranked among the countries with the most significant increase in military burden over the year, raising this indicator by 1.4 percentage points.

Within the global context, it is noted that the South Caucasus demonstrates a level of economic militarization comparable to active conflict zones and regions with traditionally high defense budgets. For comparison, the top five countries with the highest military burden in 2025 are as follows: Ukraine - 40%; Algeria - 8.8%; Israel - 7.8%; Russia - 7.5%; Saudi Arabia - 6.5%.

Overall, global military spending in 2025 reached a historic high of $2,887 trillion, increasing by 2.9% in real terms. Experts emphasize that the growth in spending in Europe and Asia offset a slight decline in the United States.

The increase in defense budgets in the South Caucasus region is attributed by experts to the ongoing modernization of armed forces and the need to strengthen national security amid general geopolitical instability.