Global report places Uzbekistan at the forefront of Central Asian defense budgets

As of 2024, Uzbekistan has the largest defense budget among Central Asian countries, amounting to $2.8 billion, according to the 2025 report by Global Firepower.

The report shows that Kazakhstan ranks second in the region with a defense budget of $2 billion, followed by Turkmenistan with $1.1 billion. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan allocate the least for military spending, at $221.8 million and $446 million, respectively.

Globally, defense expenditures have risen from $2.24 trillion in 2023 to $2.46 trillion in 2024, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). The top 15 countries with the largest military budgets collectively spent just under $2 trillion.

The United States leads with a defense budget of $968 billion, representing nearly half of the total spending by these 15 countries. The combined budget of the remaining 14 countries amounts to slightly over $1 trillion, just 5.1% higher than the U.S. alone. China holds the second spot with $235 billion, followed by Russia with $145.9 billion. However, when purchasing power parity (PPP) is considered, China’s real defense budget reaches $477 billion, and Russia’s stands at $461 billion.

Earlier, Global Firepower ranked Uzbekistan’s Armed Forces 58th out of 145 countries worldwide, an improvement of seven positions from the previous year. Among Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan ranks 57th (previously 58th), Uzbekistan 58th (65th), Turkmenistan 77th (83rd), Kyrgyzstan 105th (100th), and Tajikistan 108th (107th).