World Military Expenditure Reaches 1.8 Trillion Dollars, Turkey Becomes 15th Highest Spender

Turkey's intervention in Syria is one of the causef of the increase in the military spending, according to the SIPRI. (Photo: AA)

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The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has released its annual update on its Military Expenditure Database.

Accordingly, total world military expenditure, with an 2.6 percent increase from 2017, rose to 1,822 billion US dollars, the highest point since 1988.

Military expenditure made 2.1 percent of the global GDP in 2018.

The US, China, Saudi Arabia, India and France became the top spenders, which together correspond to 60 percent of the global military spending.

Turkey's military expenditure increased by 24 percent and became 19 billion US dollars in 2018, marking the highest increase among the world's top 15 military spenders. In terms of the last decade, it was only second to China with a 64 percent increase.

The country's military spending made 2.5 percent of its GDP and 1 percent of the military expenditure worldwide.

It is also the one of the two countries which made it into top 15 with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Nan Tian, a researcher from the SIPRI, said that Turkey's expenditure on military equipment and arms is increasing and the country's extension of its operations against the Kurdish groups in northern Syria costs much. (HA/VK)