There’s been much discussion and debate about our original article about the Top 10 Armies in the World. First written in 2010, we’ve been updating it ever since.
Nearly every country in the world has its own army to protect its interests against internal and external enemies. Most countries like to boast of their military prowess, often claiming to be one of the strongest in the world. Not all can actually back that claim with data and numbers
In an effort to quantify the rankings of the top military forces in the world, we analyzed data on over sixty countries. We based this on the most recent data available at GlobalFirepower. This includes the size of defense budget, number of active military members, tanks and armored vehicles, aircraft and helicopters, and number of naval craft.
Additionally, we considered nuclear capability and recent operations, the latter meaning that the army actually has live combat experience.
We then assigned a weight to each of these components, and finally calculated an overall score for each country. In most places, this differs from the country’s GlobalFirepower rank.
After the calculations were completed, the top ten armies in the world became easily visible as the most powerful militaries in the world.
Most of these armies were involved in the major conflicts of the modern world. Notably, these include World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Additionally, many were involved in conflicts fighting for their own country’s independence.
The Turkish Army dates back more than 2,000 years, though the modern day military branches were founded in 1920. With a force of over 730 and a budget of close to $19 billion, it is solidly in the top ten military powers in the world.
It ranks fourth on the list for tanks and armored vehicles, estimated at just over 11,000. Ground forces are additionally supported by an outsize artillery. Out of the nations on this list, Turkey is currently the only without nuclear capability.
With very few exceptions, military service is required of all male citizens after the age of twenty, contributing to the large force and reserve size. After the U.S. and ahead of France, it is the second largest ground force in NATO.
The Turkish Army was involved in the Korean War, recurrent internal Kurdish conflicts, the division of Cyprus, and recently Syria. Its largest conflict to date, however, was the Turkish Independence War. In this confrontation, it fought Russia, Britain, Greece, France and Italy along its borders. It was one of the few larger powers to remain neutral until almost the end of World War II.
The British Armed Forces were organized in 1661 and have been involved in various conflicts including the Napoleonic Wars, Revolutionary War and both world wars. In fact, only 22 countries in the world were never invaded by British forces.
The British Army has had a significant presence in Northern Ireland and the Balkans. It stood beside the United States in the Gulf War in the 1990s. The army is a powerful force in the ongoing Global War on Terrorism after the attacks of September 11, 2001.
The active duty force of the British military is over 190,000 strong, making it the second largest army in the European Union behind France. The U.K. has a defense budget of over $51 billion annually. Of the top ten military powers, it has the smallest number of active duty members but the fourth-largest budget, behind only the U.S., China, and India.
There are three branches of service. These are the Royal Navy, the British Army proper and the Royal Air Force, also known as RAF.
With nearly 750 aircraft and helicopters and around 5,500 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery, it is a viable force and an unwavering ally of the United States.
The Pakistan Armed Forces were founded in 1947, and comprises three service branches. It succeeded the former British Indian Army after the country gained independence the same year.
Pakistan’s military history includes recurrent conflicts with its bordering neighbors of Afghanistan and India, the Gulf War and Mogadishu, Somalia in the early 90s.
The country is part of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC). As such, it has been active against ISIL and other terrorist groups. Pakistan has also served as an ally to the United States in the Global War on Terrorism. It assisted in the fight against both Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and along its borders.
At the same time, the army maintains close ties with the Chinese military.
This volunteer army consists of an active duty force of over 650,000 personnel. Additional reserve forces are another 550,000 strong. Together, they make the Pakistan Armed Forces into one of the largest armies in the world.
Pakistan’s defense budget is around $11.5 billion. This may be the smallest budget of the top ten military powers, but still far exceeds the defense budget of most other countries around the world.
While on par with U.K. for naval craft, Pakistan boasts several hundred more aircraft and helicopters, over 9,000 tanks and armored vehicles, and a much larger amount of artillery pieces.
Israel maintains a conscript army. It is the only country in the world that requires military service from both male and female citizens with few exceptions.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were founded in 1948, but trace their roots to several paramilitary organizations active against the British while they held Palestine. Today, the IDF maintains an active duty force of over 170,000. In comparison, its reserves are enormous, evaluated at around 450,000.
Its fleet is fairly small, but the IDF can field considerable airpower and over 13,000 tanks and armored vehicles.
The Israeli military history includes the Arab-Israel War, the Six-Day War and numerous conflicts with Lebanon, the annexed Palestine, and frequent operations against Iran. As a whole, it is one of the most battle-tested armies of the world.
The United States remains one of Israel’s largest and closest allies, giving the IDF preferential access to new military technology. Israel’s defense budget clocks in at fully $20 billion.
Since its struggles during the World Wars, France does no longer enjoy the reputation of a military superpower. These perceptions aside, the numbers tell a different story.
France has a military of over 360,000 strong across the army, navy, air and space force and paramilitary branches. This makes it the largest army in the European Union by numbers. It is unique in letting foreign nationals serve in its forces – in the notorious and elite Foreign Legion. Unusually, the country’s police also form part of the French Armed Forces.
Compared to its one-time hereditary rival, the British Armed Forces, it commands more craft across almost all categories. The exception are some naval classes and artillery pieces. Its budget, however, is smaller than the U.K.’s, at $41 billion.
The North Korean People’s Army was established in 1939 and has an impressive size of more than 1,250,000 soldiers. When reserve unit numbers are added to this, estimates are more than seven million soldiers could be activated if needed. This makes the North Korean forces potentially the largest in the world.
Major conflicts in North Korea’s history are the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Tensions between North and South Korea still exist today. Technically, the conflict is a frozen one – it never officially ended between the two.
Its defense budget, at $1.6 billion, is nominally small. Much of its economy, however, is prepared for military use along a total war doctrine. Additionally, North Korea is a relatively close, though erratic, ally of China.
North Korea has confirmed its nuclear and chemical weapons capability in recent years with threats against various countries. This especially includes the United States, mainly for its alliance with South Korea. Over the last decade, it has also emerged as a cyber-war force to be reckoned with.
The Indian Army’s roots go back, with only minor interruptions, to the Stone Age. Today, it is the largest all-volunteer ground force in the world with nearly 1.5 million active duty soldiers. Reserves make up a force an additional 2 million strong.
India has never had to institute a draft to staff its ground force. The Indian Army – overlapping with the British Indian Army – was active in both world wars. Subsequently, the Indian Armed Forces fought in conflicts for the country’s own independence. Border skirmishes with Pakistan are common in its history.
The Indian military consists of three branches as well as several paramilitary units, and operates on a budget of more than $61 billion. While its aircraft and helicopter as well as tank and armored vehicle numbers rank it solidly in the middle of the list, it has a relatively small naval fleet. India also has more than eighty nuclear warheads in its possession.
Russia has undergone numerous changes throughout its military history. This history dates back all the way to 863. The modern day army – the Russian Ground Force – arose in 1992, following on the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Previous Russian military organizations, including the Red Army, saw combat in regional conflicts, both World Wars and numerous Cold War operations. Before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was one of two superpowers in the world. By this point, it had surpassed the United States both in terms of the number of soldiers and nuclear weapons.
The Russian Ground Force draws its soldiers through a military draft. In principle, all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 33 serve for a period of 12 months. There are, however, many reasons for exception and deferral, and bribery is common.
Russia currently has over 1.2 million active duty military members and 2 million in reserves. It operates under a comparatively slim budget of more than $48 billion dollars. In terms of finances, only India, China and the U.S. are bigger spenders. Though its air force and ground capabilities are larger than China’s, the latter has been gaining rapidly, and China possesses a larger navy.
Russia also has the largest number of nuclear warheads in the world – nearly 8,000. This stock, though, is aging, and not all of it is combat-ready.
The People’s Liberation Army of China is the largest military in the world in absolute numbers. It numbers nearly 2.2 million soldiers, with a reserve over 500,000 strong. After significant cuts in forces a decade ago, numbers are again increasing.
The Chinese Army arose in 1927. It was active in the Sino-Japanese conflict, World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
While technically service is a necessity for all men over the age of 18, China has never had to draft soldiers. There have always been more than enough Chinese men who have volunteered for military service to their country.
It has the second largest defense budget, at nearly $240 billion – a full $100 billion more than a decade ago. This corresponds roughly to the combined budget of all previous countries on this list. It also houses nuclear weapons, with estimates putting the number at around 350.
The United States military’s history dates back to 1775, where it arose out of rebel forces fighting the Revolutionary War. With over 1.4 million on active duty, it now has the third largest active duty force ranking behind China and India.
However, the defense budget is what really sets the U.S. apart from all other countries on the list. With a budget of over $750 billion, it exceeds all other military budgets on this list combined by nearly $250 billion, and China’s by over $500 billion.
The U.S. Army and its special forces have participated in every major world war, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, and leads the Global War on Terrorism.
The modern day Army is an all-volunteer force, though drafts have been used for long periods. It maintains numerous permanent posts throughout the United States as well as Germany, Italy, Kosovo, Japan, Korea, and other countries.
Ranking only behind Russia in the total number of warheads, the U.S. has the largest number of active warheads in the world.
The U.S. also has the largest number of aircraft and helicopters by far with just under 14,000. It’s still comfortably ahead of China in the number of tanks and armored vehicles. Its air dominance also shows in its fleet, which is smaller than China’s, but features numerous aircraft carriers and supporting craft.
View Comments
british army has best history ever cos we owned 2/3 of earth and why keep on calling it War On Terror??
Haha ya right should I remind you of what happened in WWII
I agree with you gem and i know the histroy of your army and i respect your great british army.LONG LIVE BRITISH.
TO ALL THE INDIANS WHO THINK THEY ARE BETTER THAN PAK:
Stop being fuc*king Kaali Maata kay Kaalay Bhagat. If you have the balls, go and tell your army to come fight with us we will decide that in battle field. Talking shit here doesn't mean anything to us. Yes we are fewer in number but we have always been fewer and with lesser weapons but we will rip you off if you will even try to look at Pakistan.
Thing is that's not going to be done because your government knows how good we are in battle field and that's why you are playing the dirty game by supporting Anti Pakistan movements. You have the policy of Chankya who says meet people with love upfront and hit them in the back.
You do your thing and we will do ours InshAllah.
Y all the terrorists says the same Word Insha Allah? Is allah only for jihad and the f*kin si*gF*gs like u? I ve realize from Quran that Jihad is the word meant to protest for their country, as like Israelis done against their enemies of other casts and creed, who attacked them. They had done it wonderfully till now with "yehova", while they where slaughtered by the id*ts palatines, and Turkish (Arab belts) against them, up to early 70's. After that, comes their turn, they had gave back what all tortures they got from those idiots. Now the things are clear there. :) .So u wont prefer Israelis under top ten, rite? funny!! as that from the 1947 on wards u r trying to invade to Gr8 India and parts of India, You got nothing other than your pak army men dead bodies, We maintained peace, a time will come as like Israelis done. So better stay out of touch else your terrorist force (Pak Army) will be slaughtered as like 93000 paki army men slaughtered by Indian army at Dhaka in 1971.
THIS IS FOR ALL PAKISTANIS WHO ARE RELIGIOUS INSANE & WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT IS THE REALITY. (All have nothing more than a worst physicked vibration + cowardliness)
great tipu sultan
This is for all Pakistani losers, jerks and a*sholes writing in this forum, ovbiously u guys need lessons in history and also manners. WE have defeated you CONVINCINGLY thrice in 1947, 1965 and 1971, and WE have forgiven on these three occasions. We kicked your ass in the Kargil war where you army abandoned the dead bodies of its own soldiers. BLOODY COWARDS! India has the 3rd largest army in the world and one of the most disciplined as well. And what is Pakistan a failed state which is destined to return to India one say. But of Pakis won't accept any of this as they don't accept any other truth. Pkais are like ostriches always hiding theirr face in sand refusing to see the reality. You say our media is not perfect, well at least we have a media nasd DEMOCRACY which Pkaistan will never have. You ignorant fools with zero knowledge of history, if I ndia was not single country according to you then pakistan too never existed, your independence is a debt from INDIA. Tell me what are the scientific advances of pakistan, how many satelires have you sent, what is ur economy, ur country is big zero a cipher, a joke and a burdern on this planet.
One more thing I have noticed abt paki losers here, they only tal talk and talk. oh boy, so u wanna fight fine tell us the time we will come occupy your country and and put rest to your illusions about your might once and for all, one more thing i have also noticed is the utter ignorance of history amongst pakis I think it has something to do with their pathetic education system, after all its a poor country where most schools are run by fanatic mullahs, i don't expect pakis to have knowledge of history or for that matter anything. Have you guys noticed one thing, majority of poster her are pakis, which proves my point that pakis are the greatest losers in WORLD, who know only how to talk, build castels in air and live in a fairy land where their country perhaps may become a superpower one day.
This is for my Indian brothers here, don't reply to to the idiotic rantings of Paki fools here and don't get a high B.P, have pity for them, they are failed, derided by the whole world they remind me of the Japanese during second world war who thought their army was invincible. They remind me of a small boy who thinks he is superman. All the can do is talk talk and talk. They can prove nothing the say. Why argue with them, for me pak doesn't even exist. While India will go on progressing achieving new milestones,getting 10 percent gdp, landing man on moon and evntually building thie largest army in the world pakistan will sink deeper and deeper into abyss to the point where it will become part of a forgotten history, and THIS will be a real victory for INDIA.
JAI HIND!!
One final thing for paki losers, INDIA till today has never stopped water supply to pak, it was a crappy lie fed by your incompetent media to you like all other lies. PRAY THAT INDIA NEVER TAKES ANY SUCH ACTION. YOU PAKIS not used to reality can't even imagine the horrors.
This is my final post in this forum for all my Indian friends and Pakistani losers. After reading the postings of all the stupid Pakis here especially Nabeel I have come to an unfortunate but irrevocable conclusion, that peace with pak is now next to impossible. What can you do with a nation whose life blood is anti India poision, who don't have even a single grey cell in their brains, who simply refuse to accept the reality who are clinically stupid and eternally schizophrenic. There can be no peace or negotiation with Pak, but having said Imust say we don't need to go at war with pak, not bcoz I am afraid but bcoz its unncccessary, the foolish pakis will destroy their own country, or lets do one thing lets seperate Baluchistan from pak the way we did with Bangladesh, first we cutoff their hand now lets cutoff their legs. I know all pakis now want to seperate kashmir from India, but that will never happen sadly, what you pakis will do, what can you do invade us like in 1947, 1965 and 1971, fine do it I challenge you all,this is achallenge from an Indian to all pakis, if this time a war takes place pak will be finished with or without US or chinese support. 1 INDIAN is equal to 1 million pakis and we are a country of 1 billion. Somewhere in this forum a US soldier mentioned that numbers don't matter, he is WRONG, numbers do matter if this was not the case then US would'nt have been afraid of china. Numbers do matter something pakis will realize if a real war breaks out.
JAI HIND.
I agree with your comments. Well said by the way. Pakistanis are too dimwitted to understand what we say my Indian friends. Let them argue. After all thats all that they are worth. You have heard of the saying that even if you bury a dog's tail for 12 years it still stays curled. So are pakistanis, they will never understand. And especially the losers on this blog. Lets leave them to rot in their arguments we have better work to do. When there is a fight I am sure most of the (make that all) of the pakistanis here will be running around with grenades and guns shoved up their as*es. Cowards who cant accept the responsibility of atleast accepting their own dead soldiers are not fit to talk to a noble race like us. Lies and depotism is what their country stands for and even here their mentality is exposed. Pakistan is a terrorist country and sooner or later it will be put down and all of you pakis will have to live in refugee camps in china. So i guess you are doing good kissing china's a*s to make them accept you when your country is gone. I am not gonna bother writing here again as I am too busy to argue with retards and terrorists.
'A noble race like yours'...... that feeds on cow-dung and bathes in cow-urine! Jai Cow-mata
Sh*T!
Porkitan! typical pork characterized! feeds on others sh*t. See the above one Nabeel!
Myths and beliefs are with all religions. Now things are changing in India! No one's hands are clear, I can also point out a lot of such things in ur belief also, it may be wild and cruel.
hey you losers if you are brave then why pak army beat you many times and why chiness beat you like dogs i know very well that you have best technology and great army but not useful because men are required for fight but you have no men in your army all of them are dancers of indian movies. REMEMBER MEN ARE REQUIRED FOR FIGHT NOT GAYS. pak army is not so much great but all of them are real men.love you pak army you are the best army of the world.sorry mc these indians force me that i broke my promise
@all the dumbfu*k pakistanis...i doubt if your whole country can survive an attack from india for even a day..i wonder if your army has money for weapons atleast considering the fact that you guys have to beg for food..well maybe your army has the leftover weapons from kargil.
so go fu*k yourself with your stoneage technology..even indian police can beat your army
As for all of your latest faulty and useless Russian technology, we have no need! We get better and cheaper from China. Plus we already have nukes armed with the best missile and delivery systems in the region! You'll be dead before you can even blink!
Useless Russian Technology! haha.. their technology made the first man made object to land moon. Your papa (Chinese Bas*ds only have nuts, thats y u r in pakistan). Even stealth technology has been stolen from US by China. Depending on chinese cheap , substandard technology and talking & cursing about Russian tech. haha. Like "The cat that cannot reach the meat says it stinks."
I'm Russian
indian police ha ha ha ha ha ha so funny your army is not be able to beat us then how can your indian POLICE ha ha ha HA HA HA rat o sorry rak you people are amazing i like your joke.
Ahahaah Russia at #8? Lmao, as a Russian i disagree. *Most tanks in the world, *Most nuclear weapons, *3rd highest in advanced technology and we are bloody 8th? Lmao we are right up there in the top 3-4. Try us. :)
Im an Indian, As you said Technology is what you have got, but lot of looses for Russia after WWII. Mainly from Afghan militants, supported by ISI and Pak army supplied artillery from US. But main thing is your Country had splited up. So better watch out and have a gud day!
MCM chief of army staff of indian military
The USSR also lost plenty of troops in Afghanistan
Serbian army is 10!
Russian army is number 1!
in..... number of atrocities.... right...? Right?
Indian Army should be 2nd then and Israelis 3rd.
you do not Know what your talking about the indean's would be destroyed by the chineese or the germans and even the britich.
haha funny.. get the real meaning, what he says, u idiot!
HA HA "britich"
top 10 weak armies of the world ha ha
Your right dude serbian army is realy strong they just have a very small teritory and very little amount of people.New York is a city and it's slightly bigger than serbia and has more people to.Serbia has only 800000 people in it but they gave a good fight against the German sicko's.You Know what the Germans did to Serbian kids in Voyvodina 1941 they put them on shooting trial 400 at a time including one class of 5th graders and any male between the age of 16 to 60 years old.They killed 50 people for one injured soldier and 100 dead Serbians for one dead German soldiers and it's all Hitlers folt
Serbian? You must be kidding me!