India has taken over Russia's ranking number three on the top list made every year.

- For India, the threat picture is Pakistan, and you are close to war. Almost every day you shoot at each other, says Siemon Wezeman, a researcher at Stockholm's International Peace Research Institute, Sipri. 

Increase over the last decade

India spent $ 71.1 billion on the military in 2019. That's a 37 percent increase since 2010, Sipri says. 

The increase consists of salaries and pensions to the military, but there are also costs for new weapons systems in the air and at sea - both conventional weapons and nuclear weapons. 

India buys new fighter aircraft from France, builds a new aircraft carrier and invests in nuclear weapons-carrying submarines. They also perceive China as a major threat, says Siemon Wezeman.

- In northern India, China claims a large part of the border area. It is something that India is responding to. But also in the Indian Ocean, which India sees as Indian, China's navy is more active.

Indian Navy practices yoga aboard the INS Viraat aircraft carrier Mumbai on International Yoga Day June 21, 2019. Photo: Epa, Divyakant Solanki

China up 85 percent

China and India were second and third in the world in 2019. China's military spending has increased by 85 percent since 2010.

This means that two Asian countries are on Sipri's top three list for the first time.

- They have money to spend. China has the second largest economy in the world. They have the idea of ​​being a superpower and other countries in Asia respond quite strongly to it. So China has increased its military spending over the past two decades, says Siemon Wezeman.

Photo: SVT Design

The United States accounts for 38 percent

But the United States continued to have by far the highest spending for its military in 2019 ($ 732 billion).

This corresponds to 38 percent of the world's military spending. This compares with Russia's share of 3.4 percent.

Only the increase in US spending in 2019 compared to the previous year was equivalent to Germany's total military expenditure.

Russia states that the new intercontinental nuclear weapons robot Avangard can travel at hypersonic speed and that it became operational December 20, 2019. Photo: Russia's Ministry of Defense, AP

Russia number 4

That means that Russia is four on the list. But comparisons can be difficult as expenses can vary if it is domestic production of weapons and lower personnel costs.

- It is cheaper for Russia to produce its own weapons and therefore Russia can buy more. They also have military personnel that are quite cheap compared to Western European countries and the United States. They get more for the money.