Kazakhstan’s Defense Expenditure Reaches $1.5 Billion in 2021
Kazakhstan’s Defense Expenditures Increase by 6.8%
Kazakhstan has seen a rise in defense expenditures, with a 6.8% increase totaling 715.7 billion tenge ($1.5 billion) between January and August of this year. The country has achieved a 57.6% execution level of the adjusted 2023 sector budget, according to Finprom.kz.
The defense sector’s budget for this year was originally planned to allocate over 1.2 trillion tenge ($2.5 billion) from the state budget, marking an 11.6% increase compared to the previous year.
Despite the increase, Kazakhstan’s military expenditures account for only 0.5% of its GDP, which is significantly lower than other countries in Central Asia. The Kyrgyz Republic spends 1.5% of its GDP on military expenses, while Tajikistan spends 1% of its GDP. Data for Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are unavailable.
In comparison, the top three countries with the largest military expenditures make up 56% of global military spending. The United States, which has the world’s largest military budget, allocates 3.5% of its GDP to defense. China’s military spending accounts for 1.6% of its GDP, and Russia’s for 4.1%.
Interestingly, Israel’s military spending reached 4.5% of its GDP last year, while Ukraine witnessed a significant increase from 3.2% in 2021 to 33.5% in 2022.
Aside from defense expenditures, Kazakhstan has also seen an increase in capital investments in public administration, defense, and mandatory social security. Between January and September, these investments reached 98.8 billion tenge ($210.2 million), marking a 21.9% rise in monetary terms and a 15% increase in real terms compared to the same period last year.
Kazakhstan’s ongoing investment in defense reflects its commitment to strengthening its military capabilities and ensuring national security. As the country continues to allocate funds for defense, it is expected to enhance its defense industry and contribute to regional stability.
