Sri Lanka Military Spending
Sri Lanka spends an estimated 1.3% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $1.4 billion (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1951–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$1.4 billion
Ranked #75 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.3%
Ranked #109 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+5.0%
From $1.4B in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$2.2 billion
Reached in 2015
How the 2026 figures are produced. The share-of-GDP figure is a per-country estimate researched from announced and enacted national defence budgets. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2025 raised by a flat 5%, the same rate applied to every country in this group, so it can rise even where the share-of-GDP path falls. Actual SIPRI figures for Sri Lanka run to 2025.
Sri Lanka Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Sri Lanka is estimated to have spent $1.4 billion on military and defense, representing 1.3% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Sri Lanka is the #75 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 5.0%, from $1.4 billion to $1.4 billion. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 5.9% in 1995. The historical average military budget is 1.9% of GDP.
Data source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Values are in constant 2024 US dollars. Data for 2026 is an estimate based on government budget announcements.
Historical Military Spending
Military Spending (% of GDP)
Military Spending (USD Billions, 2024 prices)
Historical Data
| Year | Percent of GDP | USD (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027(estimate) | 1.30% | $1,499M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.30% | $1,431M |
| 2025 | 1.31% | $1,363M |
| 2024 | 1.28% | $1,264M |
| 2023 | 1.32% | $1,196M |
| 2022 | 1.35% | $1,247M |
| 2021 | 1.72% | $1,743M |
| 2020 | 1.76% | $1,697M |
| 2019 | 1.76% | $1,823M |
| 2018 | 1.74% | $1,803M |
| 2017 | 1.98% | $1,966M |
| 2016 | 1.98% | $1,888M |
| 2015 | 2.42% | $2,164M |
| 2014 | 2.41% | $2,008M |
| 2013 | 2.15% | $1,712M |
| 2012 | 2.16% | $1,668M |
| 2011 | 2.69% | $1,847M |
| 2010 | 2.70% | $1,761M |
| 2009 | 3.16% | $1,890M |
| 2008 | 3.24% | $1,830M |
| 2007 | 3.26% | $1,598M |
| 2006 | 2.80% | $1,305M |
| 2005 | 2.64% | $1,130M |
| 2004 | 3.00% | $1,221M |
| 2003 | 2.87% | $1,096M |
| 2002 | 3.34% | $1,219M |
| 2001 | 4.29% | $1,473M |
| 2000 | 5.03% | $1,765M |
| 1999 | 4.03% | $1,319M |
| 1998 | 4.64% | $1,465M |
| 1997 | 4.63% | $1,397M |
| 1996 | 5.52% | $1,574M |
| 1995 | 5.86% | $1,685M |
| 1994 | 3.73% | $1,001M |
| 1993 | 3.43% | $862M |
| 1992 | 3.37% | $804M |
| 1991 | 3.08% | $718M |
| 1990 | 2.33% | $526M |
| 1989 | 1.80% | $386M |
| 1988 | 2.37% | $501M |
| 1987 | 3.39% | $724M |
| 1986 | 2.70% | $565M |
| 1985 | 3.16% | $647M |
| 1984 | 0.92% | $182M |
| 1983 | 0.89% | $161M |
| 1982 | 0.54% | $92M |
| 1981 | 0.63% | $100M |
| 1980 | 0.77% | $113M |
| 1979 | 0.83% | $123M |
| 1978 | 0.80% | $106M |
| 1977 | 0.68% | $87M |
| 1976 | 0.66% | $70M |
| 1975 | 0.80% | $76M |
| 1974 | 0.80% | $72M |
| 1973 | 0.87% | $69M |
| 1972 | 1.19% | $85M |
| 1971 | 1.36% | $96M |
| 1970 | 0.92% | $64M |
| 1969 | 0.81% | $51M |
| 1968 | 0.79% | $50M |
| 1967 | 0.85% | $47M |
| 1966 | 0.87% | $46M |
| 1965 | 0.85% | $43M |
| 1964 | 0.85% | $42M |
| 1963 | 0.90% | $43M |
| 1962 | 1.08% | $50M |
| 1961 | 1.18% | $55M |
| 1960 | 1.18% | $54M |
| 1959 | 1.23% | $54M |
| 1958 | 1.24% | $50M |
| 1957 | 0.91% | $35M |
| 1956 | 0.68% | $26M |
| 1955 | 0.55% | $22M |
| 1954 | 0.67% | $23M |
| 1953 | 0.45% | $15M |
| 1952 | 0.34% | $11M |
| 1951 | 0.25% | $8M |