How Strong Are Asia’s Military Forces?

By Chris Lange Published Nov 19, 12:10PM EST

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How Strong Are Asia’s Military Forces? — © Matthew Nichols1 / Shutterstock.com

As the world’s largest and most populous continent, Asia is home to some of the most powerful militaries on Earth. China and Russia easily dominate with their nuclear weapons, advanced fighter jets, and massive forces. While their power is undeniable, Asia also includes numerous other formidable military forces. (These countries have a concerning number of nuclear weapons.)

24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the strongest military forces in Asia. 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. Global Firepower ranked 145 countries based on their PowerIndex, a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability is. We included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power as well. We included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power as well.

Why Are We Covering This?

Globe map focused on China. Russia Globe map focused on Russia. Close up map China. Close up map Russia. Globus with Asia and Russian Federation.

Understanding the military dynamics of Asia is important considering the region’s complex geopolitical landscape and its growing strategic significance. Historically, Asia has been shaped by internal conflicts, border disputes, and great power competition. Today, its military forces play an important role in determining regional stability. As tensions rise over territorial claims and political influence, military power is the law of the land, from disputes in the South China Sea to the contested borders in South Asia.

These are the strongest militaries in Asia:

45. Bhutan

Total population: 876,000
Active military personnel: 7,500
Total military aircraft: 2
Total military vehicles: 108
Total tanks: 0
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 6.3704 (#145 out of 145)

44. Nepal

Total population: 31 million
Total population fit for service: 11.6 million
Active military personnel: 95,000
Total military aircraft: 15
Total military vehicles: 2,216
Total tanks: 0
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 2.8962 (#128 out of 145)

43. Lebanon

Total population: 5.3 million
Total population fit for service: 1.8 million
Active military personnel: 60,000
Total military aircraft: 81
Total military vehicles: 4,522
Total tanks: 204
Total navy ships and submarines: 69
Military strength score and world rank: 2.4283 (#118 out of 145)

42. Afghanistan

Afghanistan+military | National Military Academy of Afghanistan Affirmation Ceremony

Total population: 39 million
Total population fit for service: 8.6 million
Active military personnel: 0
Total military aircraft: 17
Total military vehicles: 6,555
Total tanks: 0
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 2.2715 (#115 out of 145)

41. Laos

Total population: 7.8 million
Total population fit for service: 2.5 million
Active military personnel: 100,000
Total military aircraft: 34
Total military vehicles: 1,880
Total tanks: 130
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 2.2071 (#112 out of 145)

40. Cambodia

Total population: 16.9 million
Total population fit for service: 5.7 million
Active military personnel: 221,000
Total military aircraft: 24
Total military vehicles: 4,094
Total tanks: 322
Total navy ships and submarines: 31
Military strength score and world rank: 2.1725 (#111 out of 145)

39. Tajikistan

2017 S Tajik soldiers study diligently as part of their professional military education class, Tajikistan, 2017 by U.S. Embassy Dushanbe

2017 S Tajik soldiers study diligently as part of their professional military education class, Tajikistan, 2017 (PDM 1.0) by U.S. Embassy Dushanbe

Total population: 9.2 million
Total population fit for service: 3.4 million
Active military personnel: 9,500
Total military aircraft: 25
Total military vehicles: 4,650
Total tanks: 80
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 2.1265 (#107 out of 145)

38. Mongolia

Mongolia+military | Military marching opening ceremony Naadam Ulaanbaatar Mongolia

Total population: 3.3 million
Total population fit for service: 1.5 million
Active military personnel: 35,000
Total military aircraft: 11
Total military vehicles: 3,600
Total tanks: 470
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 2.1079 (#105 out of 145)

37. Armenia

Total population: 3 million
Total population fit for service: 1.4 million
Active military personnel: 57,500
Total military aircraft: 64
Total military vehicles: 736
Total tanks: 221
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 2.0583 (#102 out of 145)

36. Kyrgyzstan

Total population: 6.1 million
Total population fit for service: 1.4 million
Active military personnel: 23,000
Total military aircraft: 6
Total military vehicles: 2,772
Total tanks: 215
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 2.0057 (#100 out of 145)

35. Bahrain

Total population: 1.5 million
Total population fit for service: 714,000
Active military personnel: 18,400
Total military aircraft: 120
Total military vehicles: 2,598
Total tanks: 180
Total navy ships and submarines: 58
Military strength score and world rank: 1.7163 (#86 out of 145)

34. Georgia

Total population: 4.9 million
Total population fit for service: 2.2 million
Active military personnel: 55,000
Total military aircraft: 52
Total military vehicles: 5,256
Total tanks: 235
Total navy ships and submarines: 19
Military strength score and world rank: 1.6969 (#84 out of 145)

33. Turkmenistan

Total population: 5.7 million
Total population fit for service: 2.2 million
Active military personnel: 36,500
Total military aircraft: 90
Total military vehicles: 8,312
Total tanks: 680
Total navy ships and submarines: 44
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4906 (#83 out of 145)

32. Yemen

Total population: 31.6 million
Total population fit for service: 8.9 million
Active military personnel: 66,700
Total military aircraft: 177
Total military vehicles: 4,800
Total tanks: 55
Total navy ships and submarines: 38
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4692 (#81 out of 145)

31. Jordan

Total population: 11.1 million
Total population fit for service: 3.0 million
Active military personnel: 100,500
Total military aircraft: 265
Total military vehicles: 24,148
Total tanks: 1,365
Total navy ships and submarines: 27
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4651 (#80 out of 145)

30. Oman

Total population: 3.8 million
Total population fit for service: 1.3 million
Active military personnel: 42,600
Total military aircraft: 128
Total military vehicles: 5,019
Total tanks: 154
Total navy ships and submarines: 22
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4448 (#78 out of 145)

29. Kuwait

Total population: 3.1 million
Total population fit for service: 1.4 million
Active military personnel: 72,000
Total military aircraft: 144
Total military vehicles: 4,409
Total tanks: 367
Total navy ships and submarines: 123
Military strength score and world rank: 1.4261 (#77 out of 145)

28. Sri Lanka

Total population: 23.6 million
Total population fit for service: 9.2 million
Active military personnel: 346,000
Total military aircraft: 86
Total military vehicles: 3,708
Total tanks: 182
Total navy ships and submarines: 270
Military strength score and world rank: 1.3459 (#75 out of 145)

27. Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan+military | Ilyushin Il-76 "Candid"

Total population: 31.4 million
Total population fit for service: 13.7 million
Active military personnel: 48,000
Total military aircraft: 191
Total military vehicles: 5,526
Total tanks: 270
Total navy ships and submarines: 0
Military strength score and world rank: 1.1069 (#65 out of 145)

26. Qatar

Soldiers at Military Parade on Qatar National Day on the 18th of December 2018. Photo by Ijas Muhammed Photography by Ijasmuhammed

Soldiers at Military Parade on Qatar National Day on the 18th of December 2018. Photo by Ijas Muhammed Photography (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Ijasmuhammed

Total population: 2.5 million
Total population fit for service: 486,000
Active military personnel: 66,550
Total military aircraft: 228
Total military vehicles: 5,544
Total tanks: 99
Total navy ships and submarines: 123
Military strength score and world rank: 1.0789 (#63 out of 145)

25. Syria

Total population: 22.9 million
Total population fit for service: 12.7 million
Active military personnel: 170,000
Total military aircraft: 452
Total military vehicles: 14,550
Total tanks: 2,720
Total navy ships and submarines: 47
Military strength score and world rank: 1.0026 (#60 out of 145)

24. Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan+tanks | Exercise Saber Guardian 2016

Total population: 10.4 million
Total population fit for service: 3.8 million
Active military personnel: 126,400
Total military aircraft: 144
Total military vehicles: 29,312
Total tanks: 920
Total navy ships and submarines: 24
Military strength score and world rank: 0.9934 (#59 out of 145)

23. Kazakhstan

Total population: 19.5 million
Total population fit for service: 6.7 million
Active military personnel: 110,000
Total military aircraft: 243
Total military vehicles: 6,012
Total tanks: 300
Total navy ships and submarines: 18
Military strength score and world rank: 0.9495 (#58 out of 145)

22. United Arab Emirates

Total population: 10.0 million
Total population fit for service: 4.9 million
Active military personnel: 65,000
Total military aircraft: 560
Total military vehicles: 12,253
Total tanks: 354
Total navy ships and submarines: 79
Military strength score and world rank: 0.8083 (#51 out of 145)

21. Iraq

Total population: 41.3 million
Total population fit for service: 14.0 million
Active military personnel: 193,000
Total military aircraft: 371
Total military vehicles: 39,872
Total tanks: 848
Total navy ships and submarines: 68
Military strength score and world rank: 0.7441 (#45 out of 145)

20. Malaysia

Malaysian Military (CC BY 2.0) by MyLifeStory

Total population: 34.2 million
Total population fit for service: 13.3 million
Active military personnel: 113,000
Total military aircraft: 143
Total military vehicles: 13,965
Total tanks: 48
Total navy ships and submarines: 101
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5992 (#42 out of 145)

19. Bangladesh

Total population: 167.2 million
Total population fit for service: 65.5 million
Active military personnel: 163,000
Total military aircraft: 216
Total military vehicles: 13,100
Total tanks: 320
Total navy ships and submarines: 117
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5419 (#37 out of 145)

18. North Korea

Total population: 26.1 million
Total population fit for service: 5.3 million
Active military personnel: 1,320,000
Total military aircraft: 951
Total military vehicles: 24,696
Total tanks: 5,845
Total navy ships and submarines: 505
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5313 (#36 out of 145)

17. Myanmar

Total population: 58.0 million
Total population fit for service: 22.1 million
Active military personnel: 150,000
Total military aircraft: 293
Total military vehicles: 8,139
Total tanks: 705
Total navy ships and submarines: 227
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5251 (#35 out of 145)

16. Philippines

Total population: 116.4 million
Total population fit for service: 41.1 million
Active military personnel: 150,000
Total military aircraft: 195
Total military vehicles: 7,562
Total tanks: 10
Total navy ships and submarines: 111
Military strength score and world rank: 0.4691 (#34 out of 145)

15. Singapore

Total population: 6.0 million
Total population fit for service: 2.6 million
Active military personnel: 51,000
Total military aircraft: 247
Total military vehicles: 8,318
Total tanks: 170
Total navy ships and submarines: 43
Military strength score and world rank: 0.4087 (#30 out of 145)

14. Thailand

Total population: 69.8 million
Total population fit for service: 27.9 million
Active military personnel: 360,850
Total military aircraft: 501
Total military vehicles: 14,040
Total tanks: 648
Total navy ships and submarines: 293
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3389 (#25 out of 145)

13. Taiwan

Total population: 23.6 million
Total population fit for service: 1.1 million
Active military personnel: 215,000
Total military aircraft: 750
Total military vehicles: 19,868
Total tanks: 1,010
Total navy ships and submarines: 93
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3302 (#24 out of 145)

12. Saudi Arabia

Total population: 36.0 million
Total population fit for service: 17.2 million
Active military personnel: 257,000
Total military aircraft: 914
Total military vehicles: 20,694
Total tanks: 1,485
Total navy ships and submarines: 57
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3235 (#23 out of 145)

11. Vietnam

Artillery (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Marie

Total population: 104.8 million
Total population fit for service: 44.6 million
Active military personnel: 600,000
Total military aircraft: 226
Total military vehicles: 18,578
Total tanks: 2,029
Total navy ships and submarines: 97
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3158 (#22 out of 145)

10. Israel

Total population: 9.0 million
Total population fit for service: 3.2 million
Active military personnel: 170,000
Total military aircraft: 612
Total military vehicles: 43,407
Total tanks: 1,370
Total navy ships and submarines: 67
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2596 (#17 out of 145)

9. Iran

Iran Shahed-136 | Iranian military unmanned aerial vehicle at sunset. Combat drone

Total population: 87.6 million
Total population fit for service: 41.2 million
Active military personnel: 610,000
Total military aircraft: 551
Total military vehicles: 65,765
Total tanks: 1,996
Total navy ships and submarines: 101
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2269 (#14 out of 145)

8. Indonesia

Taruna akmil (CC BY-SA 4.0) by AWG97

Total population: 279.5 million
Total population fit for service: 113.7 million
Active military personnel: 400,000
Total military aircraft: 474
Total military vehicles: 11,604
Total tanks: 313
Total navy ships and submarines: 333
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2251 (#13 out of 145)

7. Pakistan

Task Force Denali: reflecting ... by DVIDSHUB

Task Force Denali: reflecting ... (CC BY 2.0) by DVIDSHUB

Total population: 247.7 million
Total population fit for service: 84.2 million
Active military personnel: 654,000
Total military aircraft: 1,434
Total military vehicles: 50,523
Total tanks: 3,742
Total navy ships and submarines: 114
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1711 (#9 out of 145)

6. Turkey

Total population: 83.6 million
Total population fit for service: 3.6 million
Active military personnel: 355,200
Total military aircraft: 1,069
Total military vehicles: 55,104
Total tanks: 2,231
Total navy ships and submarines: 186
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1697 (#8 out of 145)

5. Japan

Total population: 123.7 million
Total population fit for service: 43.1 million
Active military personnel: 247,150
Total military aircraft: 1,459
Total military vehicles: 37,662
Total tanks: 518
Total navy ships and submarines: 155
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1601 (#7 out of 145)

4. South Korea

Flag of South Korea on soldiers arm. Flag of South Korea on military uniforms (collage). by Bumble Dee

Flag of South Korea on soldiers arm. Flag of South Korea on military uniforms (collage). (Shutterstock.com) by Bumble Dee

Total population: 52.0 million
Total population fit for service: 21.3 million
Active military personnel: 600,000
Total military aircraft: 1,576
Total military vehicles: 66,492
Total tanks: 2,501
Total navy ships and submarines: 200
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1416 (#5 out of 145)

3. India

Total population: 1.4 billion
Total population fit for service: 519.1 million
Active military personnel: 1,455,550
Total military aircraft: 2,296
Total military vehicles: 151,248
Total tanks: 4,614
Total navy ships and submarines: 294
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1023 (#4 out of 145)

2. China

Total population: 1.4 billion
Total population fit for service: 626.0 million
Active military personnel: 2,035,000
Total military aircraft: 3,304
Total military vehicles: 174,300
Total tanks: 5,000
Total navy ships and submarines: 730
Military strength score and world rank: 0.0706 (#3 out of 145)

1. Russia

Total population: 141.7 million
Total population fit for service: 46.5 million
Active military personnel: 1,320,000
Total military aircraft: 4,255
Total military vehicles: 161,382
Total tanks: 14,777
Total navy ships and submarines: 781
Military strength score and world rank: 0.0702 (#2 out of 145)

About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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How Strong Are Asia’s Military Forces?

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Why Are We Covering This?

These are the strongest militaries in Asia:

45. Bhutan

44. Nepal

43. Lebanon

42. Afghanistan

41. Laos

40. Cambodia

39. Tajikistan

38. Mongolia

37. Armenia

36. Kyrgyzstan

35. Bahrain

34. Georgia

33. Turkmenistan

32. Yemen

31. Jordan

30. Oman

29. Kuwait

28. Sri Lanka

27. Uzbekistan

26. Qatar

25. Syria

24. Azerbaijan

23. Kazakhstan

22. United Arab Emirates

21. Iraq

20. Malaysia

19. Bangladesh

18. North Korea

17. Myanmar

16. Philippines

15. Singapore

14. Thailand

13. Taiwan

12. Saudi Arabia

11. Vietnam

10. Israel

9. Iran

8. Indonesia

7. Pakistan

6. Turkey

5. Japan

4. South Korea

3. India

2. China

1. Russia

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