Turkey's military spending reached $30 billion in 2025, exceeding combined budgets of neighboring countries

Turkey's military expenditure reached $30 billion in 2025, surpassing the combined defense budgets of Greece, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Armenia, Georgia and other nearby states, which together amounted to roughly $24 billion to $25 billion, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and regional estimates.

SIPRI data shows Turkey increased its military spending in 2025 by 7.2 percent in real terms compared to 2024. Over the past decade, Turkey's defense budget has grown by 94 percent, outpacing the global average increase of 41 percent over the same period. Global military expenditure reached $2.887 trillion in 2025, rising by 2.9 percent and marking the highest level ever recorded.

Turkey ranked 18th among the world's largest military spenders in 2025. Its military burden stood at 1.9 percent of gross domestic product, below the 2 percent NATO benchmark but reflecting sustained allocation of public resources to defense.

Allocations to a dedicated fund supporting the national defense industry accounted for 22 percent of total military expenditure in 2025, rising by 25 percent compared to the previous year. The government says this shift has reduced reliance on external suppliers. Domestic companies now provide a large share of military equipment, including unmanned systems, armored platforms and naval assets. Several long-term projects remain under development, including a next-generation combat aircraft and integrated air defense systems.

Regional comparisons illustrate the spending gap. Greece allocated about $6.5 billion to defense in 2025. Iraq's military spending reached approximately $6.4 billion. Azerbaijan's budget stood at around $5 billion. Bulgaria spent roughly $2.3 billion. Armenia's military expenditure reached about $1.7 billion. Iran's military expenditure was estimated at $7.4 billion in 2025, showing a decline in real terms compared with the previous year. Even when including Iran's figures, the combined spending of these countries remains below Turkey's individual total.

Between 2005 and 2024, Turkey's defense expenditure increased from $7.5 billion to $21.9 billion, while defense exports rose from $250 million to $7.15 billion. Employment in the defense sector grew from 35,000 to 105,000 over the same period, indicating a threefold increase in workforce capacity.

In 2024 the government introduced a legislative proposal aimed at generating additional revenue for the Defense Industry Fund through a levy on individuals with high credit card limits. The bill targeted credit card holders with limits above TL 100,000 ($2,923 at the time), proposing an annual contribution of TL 750 ($22) to the fund. The proposal faced strong public criticism and was ultimately postponed and not advanced in its original form during the parliamentary process.