grenades in the face of growing global tensions many countries are arming themselves more than ever. between nine hundred ninety eight and twenty eighteen worldwide defense spending rose almost continuously with one plateau to nearly two trillion dollars a year in twenty eighteen a sharp increase over twenty seventeen the u.s. is by far the biggest spender on weapons and it shows no sign of changing course in twenty eighteen washington increased its military spending for the first time in seven years. china has the second largest defense budget which it also boosted in twenty eighteen saudi arabia a traditionally well armed country with the third largest budget reduced its spending india and france increase their defense budgets last year as did russia.