Global Conflict Threat Rises; Australia to Increase Defense Spending to 3% of GDP
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced plans to increase the nation's defense spending to 3% of its GDP by 2033 in response to the escalation of global armed conflicts.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 17:48
- 🔍 Collected: April 16, 2026 at 18:02 (13 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 03:01 (56h 59m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Comprehensive Report from Canberra, 16th) Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles pointed out today that in response to escalating global armed conflicts, Australia will increase its defense spending to 3% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2033.
According to Agence France-Presse, Marles stated during a speech in Canberra: "International rules that have bound the use of force and military coercion are being continuously eroded." He also outlined plans to increase spending on missile defense, drones, and the stockpile of guided weapons.
Marles said: "The number of countries currently involved in conflict is higher than at any time since the end of the Second World War, and it spans across all regions globally."
According to Marles, compared to the 2024 defense strategy, Australia's additional defense spending over the next 10 years will reach 53 billion AUD (about 1.2 trillion TWD).
In the short term, defense spending will increase by an additional 14 billion AUD over the next four years.
To achieve the 3% GDP target, Australia adjusted its method of calculating the defense budget, adopting NATO standards by including items such as military pensions and defense intelligence in the statistics.
Marles explained that this helps facilitate comparisons with other nations; based on the new calculation method, Australia's defense spending this year accounts for 2.8% of its GDP, higher than most European and Asian countries.
However, this new spending target by Australia still falls short of the 3.5% of GDP that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth requested the Australian side to commit to last year.
Australia, a US ally, has been vigilant regarding the expansion of the Chinese navy in recent years, thus adjusting its defense posture to focus on missile strike capabilities and deterring potential hostile forces from the north. (Compiled by: Hung Pei-ying) 1150416
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(CNA Comprehensive Report from Canberra, 16th) Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles pointed out today that in response to escalating global armed conflicts, Australia will increase its defense spending to 3% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2033.
According to Agence France-Presse, Marles stated during a speech in Canberra: "International rules that have bound the use of force and military coercion are being continuously eroded." He also outlined plans to increase spending on missile defense, drones, and the stockpile of guided weapons.
Marles said: "The number of countries currently involved in conflict is higher than at any time since the end of the Second World War, and it spans across all regions globally."
According to Marles, compared to the 2024 defense strategy, Australia's additional defense spending over the next 10 years will reach 53 billion AUD (about 1.2 trillion TWD).
In the short term, defense spending will increase by an additional 14 billion AUD over the next four years.
To achieve the 3% GDP target, Australia adjusted its method of calculating the defense budget, adopting NATO standards by including items such as military pensions and defense intelligence in the statistics.
Marles explained that this helps facilitate comparisons with other nations; based on the new calculation method, Australia's defense spending this year accounts for 2.8% of its GDP, higher than most European and Asian countries.
However, this new spending target by Australia still falls short of the 3.5% of GDP that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth requested the Australian side to commit to last year.
Australia, a US ally, has been vigilant regarding the expansion of the Chinese navy in recent years, thus adjusting its defense posture to focus on missile strike capabilities and deterring potential hostile forces from the north. (Compiled by: Hung Pei-ying) 1150416
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA "First Hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.