Belgium's arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) was 86 million in 2025, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 616.67% from 12 million in 2015 (21.77% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 86 million | 2025 |
| Five years earlier | 19 million | 2020 |
| Ten years earlier | 12 million | 2015 |
| Highest | 242 million | 2009 |
| Lowest | 0 | 1961 |
| Average since 2016 | 53.8 million | 2016–2025 |
| First recorded | 3 million |
What the numbers say
In 2025, Belgium's arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) rose 17 million on 2024 (from 69 million to 86 million).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +1 million and a typical year strayed about 79.32 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 191 million in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 231 million in 2010. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 9.04 million a year. A straight line explains 45% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2025, Belgium had the 26th highest value of the 42 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 86 million | 2025 |
| World | 33.54 billion | 2025 |
| Europe & Central Asia | 12.82 billion | 2025 |
| High income | 31.27 billion | 2025 |
Closest to Belgium in the 2025 ranking
- Finland — 23rd of 42: 115 million
- South Africa — 24th of 42: 115 million
- Australia — 25th of 42: 108 million
- India — 27th of 42: 81 million
- Iran, Islamic Rep. — 28th of 42: 80 million
- Singapore — 29th of 42: 79 million
What this measures
Arms transfers (exports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.
Limitations: SIPRI calculates the volume of transfers to, from and between all parties using the TIV and the number of weapon systems or subsystems delivered in a given year. This data is intended to provide a common unit to allow the measurement if trends in the flow of arms to particular countries and regions over time. Therefore, the main priority is to ensure that the TIV system remains consistent over time, and that any changes introduced are backdated. SIPRI TIV figures do not represent sales prices for arms transfers.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 51 values
| Year | Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 86,000,000 |
| 2024 | 69,000,000 |
| 2023 | 41,000,000 |
| 2022 | 129,000,000 |
| 2021 | 99,000,000 |
| 2020 | 19,000,000 |
| 2019 | 50,000,000 |
| 2018 | 21,000,000 |
| 2017 | 17,000,000 |
| 2016 | 7,000,000 |
| 2015 |
Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in nearby economies
More public sector data for Belgium
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 430 million (2025)
- Military expenditure (current USD) — 14.53 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (current LCU) — 12.88 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.01% (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 3.67% (2025)
- Armed forces personnel, total — 24,000 (2020)
- Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 0.47% (2020)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 4.51 billion (2024)
- Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 0.73% (2024)
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Belgium's arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values)?
- 86 million in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1960?
- It is up 2,767% from 3 million in 1960 (5.3% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 242 million in 2009 and the lowest 0 in 1961.
- How does Belgium rank?
- 26th highest of 42 economies with data for 2025.
- Is the latest change in arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) unusual for Belgium?
- In 2025, Belgium's arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) rose 17 million on 2024 (from 69 million to 86 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +1 million and a typical year strayed about 79.32 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.XPRT.KD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://armstransfers.sipri.org/ArmsTransfer/ Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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