In this article, we look at the five weakest militaries in Asia. You can read about the trends in defense spending in the continent by heading over to the 10 Weakest Militaries in Asia, where we have also shed light on some of the major conflict flashpoints in the region.
5. Mongolia
GDP (2023): $18.78 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $147.8 million
Active Manpower: 35,000
Tanks: 470
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 3,600
Military Aircraft: 11
Naval Assets: 0
Overall Score: 5.2
We begin our list with Mongolia, which has one of the weakest militaries in the world, and not just Asia, due to its lack of financial resources and a small inventory of military equipment. The country has no naval assets, and only 11 military aircraft which comprise combat helicopters and transport aircraft. Mongolia spent little over a mere $147 million on defense in 2023, and has an active manpower of 35,000 troops.
4. Tajikistan
GDP (2023): $11.81 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $139.5 million
Active Manpower: 9,500
Tanks: 80
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 4,650
Military Aircraft: 25
Naval Assets: 0
Overall Score: 4.3
Tajikistan has one of the weakest militaries in Asia, with an active manpower of only 9,500 personnel. The country is without any naval assets, and has a very small fleet of 80 battle tanks. Tajikistan’s 25 military aircraft have no combat jets, and the fleet consists of combat helicopters and transport aircraft only. A main reason why Tajikistan does not have a strong military is that it was among the few countries, unlike other Soviet states, that had no native units to absorb into after the collapse of the USSR. A new military had to be formed, right from the scratch in 1994.
3. Kyrgyzstan
GDP (2023): $12.68 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $464.6 million
Active Manpower: 23,000
Tanks: 215
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 2,772
Military Aircraft: 6
Naval Assets: 0
Overall Score: 4.2
Next up is Kyrgyzstan, which is a clear weak link when it comes to security in Central Asia. The country has no naval assets and only six military aircraft – all of them being combat helicopters. The only area that Kyrgyzstan has some strength in is its fleet of armored fighting vehicles, but that alone is not enough to help raise a strong armed forces.
2. Maldives
GDP (2023): $6.98 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $108 million
Active Manpower: 4,000
Tanks: 0
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 23
Military Aircraft: 4
Naval Assets: 19
Overall Score: 1.5
Maldives has the smallest military in Asia, with an active manpower of only 4,000 troops and a negligible inventory of military equipment. Most of the Maldivian naval assets are patrol boats, and its four military aircraft comprise two special mission aircraft and two combat helicopters. The country has no tanks and only 23 armored fighting vehicles that it received from India and Bangladesh.
1. Bhutan
GDP (2023): $2.67 billion
Defense Spending (2023): $25 million
Active Manpower: 7,500
Tanks: 0
Armored Fighting Vehicles: 108
Military Aircraft: 2
Naval Assets: 0
Overall Score: 0.9
Bhutan has the weakest military in Asia and in the world, and that comes as no surprise given its manpower of only 7,500 troops, and that it has no naval assets, no battle tanks, and only two military aircraft. The tiny Himalayan country nestled between China and India lacks the financial resources to raise a strong military, and only spent $25 million on defense expenditure in 2023. Having said that, despite being weak in defense, it is among the few countries in the world to have not been invaded by a foreign aggressor.
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