Turkey ranks 9th in Global Firepower 2026 military strength index

Turkey has maintained its position among the world's top ten militaries, ranking 9th in the 2026 Global Firepower index. Evaluating 145 countries based on over 60 criteria—including military personnel, air and land assets, naval strength, logistics, and defense budgets—the index places the United States at first, followed by Russia and China.

Turkey's PowerIndex score of 0.1975 places it ahead of Italy, Germany, and Brazil. Other top-tier militaries include India in fourth, South Korea in fifth, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Beyond traditional rankings, Turkey is increasingly utilizing defense diplomacy as an economic lever. Recent military cooperation and defense agreements with nations such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan aim to move beyond simple procurement toward joint production facilities, shared research and development, and technology transfers. This strategic shift follows a period of significant growth in the sector, with defense and aerospace exports projected to exceed $10 billion in 2025.