China has rapidly expanded its spending on defence over the past decade, at a pace that has closely mirrored its economic growth. However, a slowdown in growth over the past year has raised new questions over the implications for defence spending. Read Here – IISS
Global military spending fell for the first time since 1998 despite spending increases in Russia and China, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) annual report,which was released on Monday. “Global military expenditure fell in 2012, to $1753 billion, equivalent to 2.5 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP). Although the fall was only 0.5 percent […]
As Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party national defense task force announced on Jan. 8 that it would increase the nation’s defense budget by more than 100 billion yen ($1.15 billion), three of five scenarios explored by the defense ministry recently involve the Self-Defense Forces squaring off against the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). While contingencies involving North Korea’s ballistic […]
Russia is moving toward a major military buildup even though the external military threat is at an all-time low. The Moscow leadership is committed to pursuing this military course in one form or another, convinced that a strong army is needed in the unfolding world order and that the buildup will stimulate the country’s development. Meanwhile, many adhere to the conventional theory that maintaining a large military force is […]
In what seems an odd juxtaposition, global military spending is slowing down while the global trade in weapons is on the rise. The data are clear about these trends. For the first time in 14 years, global military spending did not increase last year, part of an overall slowdown in global military spending that began in […]
looking beyond borders 