World’s most powerful militaries ranked and it’s terrible for the UK | UK | News
Global defense spending has increased recently (Image: Getty)
As global tensions rise as wars in Iran and Ukraine continue, attention turns to which country has the strongest military. While not all armed forces may be ready to engage if war suddenly becomes necessary, some appear to have been preparing themselves for this unexpected scenario for decades.
While nations reject the President Donald TrumpUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for help reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, saying he was ready for trilateral peace talks designed to end Russia’s occupation of Ukraine, which is now in its fifth year.
While both conflicts continue, a former NATO commander recently told The Week that Trump and Netanyahu’s attacks on Iran are “the final catalyst for a third world war.” The worrying possibility of another world war means that many countries are increasing their defense spending, and global defense budgets are rising significantly.
In a recent article first published by Bloomberg, 25 of the world’s most powerful militaries were ranked by manpower and budget; So where in the world is the UK?
25. Iraq
It is estimated that the Iraqi Ground Forces will have 193,000 active-duty members in 2025 and the defense budget will be $12.7 billion.
24. Morocco
The Royal Moroccan Army is estimated to have 196,000 active armed personnel. Defense budget is 7.5 billion dollars
23. France
The active armed forces of NATO member France currently number 204,000 and its defense budget is 70 billion dollars22. Japan
The Japan Self-Defense Forces have an estimated 247,000 active service members and a defense budget of $58.9 billion.
21. Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabian Armed Forces have a defense budget of $72.5 billion and a total of 257,000 active personnel.
America has one of the strongest armies in the world, but is it the best? (Image: Getty)
20. Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan Armed Forces have an estimated 260,000 active service members and are supported by a defense budget of $1.4 billion.
19. Colombia
The active armed forces of the Colombian Military Forces number 285,000 and their defense budget is $8.3 billion.
18. Mexico
The Mexican Armed Forces are estimated to have 301,000 active soldiers, supported by a defense budget of $11.4 billion.
17. Eritrea
Eritrea commands an active armed force of 302,000 and the country has a defense budget, although the amount has not been disclosed.
16. Türkiye
It is estimated that the Turkish Armed Forces will have an estimated 379,000 reserve soldiers by 2025 and the defense budget will be 21.5 billion dollars.
15. Thailand
The Royal Thai Armed Forces had an estimated 361,000 active soldiers and its defense budget was $5.8 billion.
14. Brazil
Latest estimates indicate that the Brazilian Armed Forces will have 125,000 reservists by 2025. Additionally, the country has a defense budget of $24.2 billion.
13. Indonesia
The Indonesian National Armed Forces have 434,000 active soldiers and a defense budget of $15 billion.
12. Egypt
The Egyptian Armed Forces are estimated to have 479,000 reservists operating with a budget of $2.3 billion.
11.Vietnam
The Vietnam People’s Army has the largest number of reservists in the world, approximately 5 million, and a defense budget of $8.4 billion.
10. South Korea
The South Korean Army, known as the Republic of Korea Army, has the second largest reserve force with approximately 3.1 million reservists. The defense budget is 43.8 billion dollars.
9. Ethiopia
In East Africa, the Ethiopian National Defense Force has 503,000 active soldiers and its defense budget is $484 million.
8. Iran
The Islamic Republic of Iran Army has approximately 350,000 reserve soldiers and a budget of $6.1 billion.
7.Pakistan
The army in Pakistan has approximately 291,000 gendarmerie and paramilitary members and its defense budget is $10 billion.
6. Ukraine
Ukraine’s forces have grown to 677,000 since the Russian invasion began in 2022, and its defense budget is $44.4 billion.
5. Russia
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have approximately 1.5 million reservists and a huge defense budget of $161.2 billion.
4. North Korea
Although North Korea is a small country of about 25 million people, it has an active force equivalent in size to the United States, which has a population 13 times larger. The defense budget is unknown.
3. United States
The United States has the world’s largest defense budget, $921 billion by 2025, and has 1,340,000 active service members.
2. India
The Indian Armed Forces have the second largest number of active soldiers in the world at 1,501,000. The defense budget is 78.3 billion dollars.
1. China
China’s People’s Liberation Army boasts the world’s most active soldiers and the second-largest defense budget at $251 billion. Active armed service members total 2,035,000.
True, Great Britain does not even appear in the list of the top 25 global military powers.
As the Express has consistently reported over the years, decades of cuts to Conservative and Labor defense have left the once-proud British army sacrosanct and our nation surprisingly vulnerable to a world that looks more hostile by the day. Even France beat us and rose to 23rd place.
For completeness, we stack up like this.
Not listed: United Kingdom
The UK spent £60.3 billion (about 2.3% of GDP) on defence; this figure is expected to rise to £62.2bn for 2025/26. As of October 2025, the UK Armed Forces have a total of 182,000 personnel, including 137,000 regular forces and almost 32,000 volunteer reservists. The rest consist of Nepali Gurkhas and other forces.
