ASTANA — Kazakhstan ranked 58th out of 145 countries in the 2026 Global Firepower annual defense review, recording the highest per capita defense spending in Central Asia. According to the ranking, Kazakhstan received a power index score of 1.0433, with lower scores indicating stronger military capability.
The country’s defense budget was estimated at $5.836 billion. Kazakhstan’s military spending totals approximately $284 per person annually, surpassing other Central Asian states, including the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Global Firepower ranking evaluates more than 60 indicators, including military personnel, equipment, financial resources, logistics, geography, and economic stability.
The United States, Russia, and China retained their top-three positions in the 2026 ranking.