China Isn’t the Strongest Military in Asia

Over recent decades, China has vastly improved its military capabilities on different levels. However, it’s still not considered the strongest military in Asia. Who is? Let’s dig in and find out. To determine the countries with the strongest military might in Asia, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an […] The post China Isn’t the Strongest Military in Asia appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Mar 9, 2025 - 13:51
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China Isn’t the Strongest Military in Asia

Over recent decades, China has vastly improved its military capabilities on different levels. However, it’s still not considered the strongest military in Asia.

Who is? Let’s dig in and find out.

To determine the countries with the strongest military might in Asia, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries.

Why Does This Matter?

According to Paul Bracken with Yale University’s Department of Political Science, Asian nations have built up their military might for decades now. Beginning with India testing nuclear weapons in 1998 and fast-forwarding to Russia’s press to take Ukraine today, the growth of Asia’s military might should not be discounted.

Here is a look at the strongest militaries in Asia.

45. Bhutan

  • Military strength score: 6.3704
  • Active military personnel: 7,500
  • Total military aircraft: 2
  • Total military vehicles: 108
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

44. Nepal

  • Military strength score: 2.8962
  • Active military personnel: 95,000
  • Total military aircraft: 15
  • Total military vehicles: 2,216
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

43. Lebanon

  • Military strength score: 2.4283
  • Active military personnel: 60,000
  • Total military aircraft: 81
  • Total military vehicles: 4,522
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 69

42. Afghanistan

  • Military strength score: 2.2715
  • Active military personnel: 0
  • Total military aircraft: 17
  • Total military vehicles: 6,555
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

41. Laos

  • Military strength score: 2.2071
  • Active military personnel: 100,000
  • Total military aircraft: 34
  • Total military vehicles: 1,880
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

40. Cambodia

  • Military strength score: 2.1725
  • Active military personnel: 221,000
  • Total military aircraft: 24
  • Total military vehicles: 4,094
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 31

39. Tajikistan

  • Military strength score: 2.1265
  • Active military personnel: 9,500
  • Total military aircraft: 25
  • Total military vehicles: 4,650
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

38. Mongolia

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  • Military strength score: 2.1079
  • Active military personnel: 35,000
  • Total military aircraft: 11
  • Total military vehicles: 3,600
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

37. Armenia

  • Military strength score: 2.0583
  • Active military personnel: 57,500
  • Total military aircraft: 64
  • Total military vehicles: 736
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

36. Kyrgyzstan

  • Military strength score: 2.0057
  • Active military personnel: 23,000
  • Total military aircraft: 6
  • Total military vehicles: 2,772
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

35. Bahrain

  • Military strength score: 1.7163
  • Active military personnel: 18,400
  • Total military aircraft: 120
  • Total military vehicles: 2,598
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 58

34. Georgia

  • Military strength score: 1.6969
  • Active military personnel: 55,000
  • Total military aircraft: 52
  • Total military vehicles: 5,256
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 19

33. Turkmenistan

  • Military strength score: 1.4906
  • Active military personnel: 36,500
  • Total military aircraft: 90
  • Total military vehicles: 8,312
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 44

32. Yemen

  • Military strength score: 1.4692
  • Active military personnel: 66,700
  • Total military aircraft: 177
  • Total military vehicles: 4,800
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 38

31. Jordan

  • Military strength score: 1.4651
  • Active military personnel: 100,500
  • Total military aircraft: 265
  • Total military vehicles: 24,148
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 27

30. Oman

  • Military strength score: 1.4448
  • Active military personnel: 42,600
  • Total military aircraft: 128
  • Total military vehicles: 5,019
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 22

29. Kuwait

  • Military strength score: 1.4261
  • Active military personnel: 72,000
  • Total military aircraft: 144
  • Total military vehicles: 4,409
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 123

28. Sri Lanka

  • Military strength score: 1.3459
  • Active military personnel: 346,000
  • Total military aircraft: 86
  • Total military vehicles: 3,708
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 270

27. Uzbekistan

  • Military strength score: 1.1069
  • Active military personnel: 48,000
  • Total military aircraft: 191
  • Total military vehicles: 5,526
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 0

26. Qatar

  • Military strength score: 1.0789
  • Active military personnel: 66,550
  • Total military aircraft: 228
  • Total military vehicles: 5,544
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 123

25. Syria

  • Military strength score: 1.0026
  • Active military personnel: 170,000
  • Total military aircraft: 452
  • Total military vehicles: 14,550
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 47

24. Azerbaijan

  • Military strength score: 0.9934
  • Active military personnel: 126,400
  • Total military aircraft: 144
  • Total military vehicles: 29,312
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 24

23. Kazakhstan

  • Military strength score: 0.9495
  • Active military personnel: 110,000
  • Total military aircraft: 243
  • Total military vehicles: 6,012
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 18

22. United Arab Emirates

  • Military strength score: 0.8083
  • Active military personnel: 65,000
  • Total military aircraft: 560
  • Total military vehicles: 12,253
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 79

21. Iraq

  • Military strength score: 0.7441
  • Active military personnel: 193,000
  • Total military aircraft: 371
  • Total military vehicles: 39,872
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 68

20. Malaysia

  • Military strength score: 0.5992
  • Active military personnel: 113,000
  • Total military aircraft: 143
  • Total military vehicles: 13,965
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 101

19. Bangladesh

  • Military strength score: 0.5419
  • Active military personnel: 163,000
  • Total military aircraft: 216
  • Total military vehicles: 13,100
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 117

18. North Korea

  • Military strength score: 0.5313
  • Active military personnel: 1,320,000
  • Total military aircraft: 951
  • Total military vehicles: 24,696
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 505

17. Myanmar

  • Military strength score: 0.5251
  • Active military personnel: 150,000
  • Total military aircraft: 293
  • Total military vehicles: 8,139
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 227

16. Philippines

  • Military strength score: 0.4691
  • Active military personnel: 150,000
  • Total military aircraft: 195
  • Total military vehicles: 7,562
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 111

15. Singapore

  • Military strength score: 0.4087
  • Active military personnel: 51,000
  • Total military aircraft: 247
  • Total military vehicles: 8,318
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 43

14. Thailand

  • Military strength score: 0.3389
  • Active military personnel: 360,850
  • Total military aircraft: 501
  • Total military vehicles: 14,040
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 293

13. Taiwan

  • Military strength score: 0.3302
  • Active military personnel: 215,000
  • Total military aircraft: 750
  • Total military vehicles: 19,868
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 93

12. Saudi Arabia

  • Military strength score: 0.3235
  • Active military personnel: 257,000
  • Total military aircraft: 914
  • Total military vehicles: 20,694
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 57

11. Vietnam

  • Military strength score: 0.3158
  • Active military personnel: 600,000
  • Total military aircraft: 226
  • Total military vehicles: 18,578
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 97

10. Israel

  • Military strength score: 0.2596
  • Active military personnel: 170,000
  • Total military aircraft: 612
  • Total military vehicles: 43,407
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 67

9. Iran

  • Military strength score: 0.2269
  • Active military personnel: 610,000
  • Total military aircraft: 551
  • Total military vehicles: 65,765
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 101

8. Indonesia

  • Military strength score: 0.2251
  • Active military personnel: 400,000
  • Total military aircraft: 474
  • Total military vehicles: 11,604
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 333

7. Pakistan

  • Military strength score: 0.1711
  • Active military personnel: 654,000
  • Total military aircraft: 1,434
  • Total military vehicles: 50,523
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 114

6. Turkey

  • Military strength score: 0.1697
  • Active military personnel: 355,200
  • Total military aircraft: 1,069
  • Total military vehicles: 55,104
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 186

5. Japan

  • Military strength score: 0.1601
  • Active military personnel: 247,150
  • Total military aircraft: 1,459
  • Total military vehicles: 37,662
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 155

4. South Korea

  • Military strength score: 0.1416
  • Active military personnel: 600,000
  • Total military aircraft: 1,576
  • Total military vehicles: 66,492
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 200

3. India

  • Military strength score: 0.1023
  • Active military personnel: 1,455,550
  • Total military aircraft: 2,296
  • Total military vehicles: 151,248
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 294

2. China

  • Military strength score: 0.0706
  • Active military personnel: 2,035,000
  • Total military aircraft: 3,304
  • Total military vehicles: 174,300
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 730

1. Russia

  • Military strength score: 0.0702
  • Active military personnel: 1,320,000
  • Total military aircraft: 4,255
  • Total military vehicles: 161,382
  • Total navy ships and submarines: 781

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