The trend of increasing defense budgets has become a global phenomenon, with European Union countries leading the way. Several countries have responded to the use of UAVs in the Russia-Ukraine war by committing to supply more UAVs to Ukraine, including Latvia and Sweden. In response, NATO allies and partners have formed the Ukraine First Defense Group (UDCG) to provide aid to Kyiv. Latvia has allocated an annual budget of around 10 million euros for this initiative.
Meanwhile, in Asia, Israel has been a major supplier of defense imports to the Philippines, accounting for 12% of their total defense imports between 2019-2023. India is also a significant partner in strengthening the Philippine military forces’ capabilities against threats in the western Philippine Sea by providing them with medium-range BrahMos cruise missiles as part of their Horizon 2 program.
In addition, Polaris has launched two advanced snowmobiles for military use: the 650 Titan 155 and the 850 Pro RMK 155 as part of their 2025 models. These snowmobiles are equipped with features for military activities, such as carrying fighters and baggage and quick mission capabilities.
The Australian government has announced a significant increase in its defense budget with a focus on deterrence and amphibious warfare in the Pacific. The defense budget is set to grow by 50.3 billion US dollars over the next decade, reaching about 100 billion US dollars by 2033. As part of this change, Australia plans to cut various planned programs, including purchasing an additional F-35 squadron and investing in long-range missiles such as Tomahawk.
