The United Nations’ 2025 report "The Security We Need", issued in response to Member States’ request under the Pact for the Future, underscores that in 2024, global military expenditure reached a record $2.7 trillion - marking the tenth straight year of increase - and forecasts this could climb to $6.6 trillion annually by 2035. Meanwhile, Official Development Assistance (ODA) dropped in real terms by 7.1%.
The report highlights a persistent $4 trillion annual financing gap in sustainable development, capital that could be redirected from military budgets toward achieving SDGs. It warns that surging defense expenditures come at a steep development cost, impairing progress in health, education, poverty alleviation, inequality reduction, innovation, and environmental sustainability.
The report calls for a fundamental policy reversal from arms races to a global “race to sustainable peace”, emphasizing diplomacy, transparency in military spending, disarmament-linked development, and integrated security governance.
Relevant Question:
How can countries like India ensure that rising defense budgets do not undermine investment in human development, while strengthening transparency, disarmament-policy linkages, and SDG funding?
Follow the full news here: https://front.un-arm.org/Milex-SDG-Study/SG_Report_TheSecurityWeNeed.pdf
