| China | Quad | |
|---|---|---|
| Combined Military Index | 84.8 | 98.0 |
| Member states | 1 | 4 |
| Active military personnel | 2,035,000 | 3,107,400 |
| – Reserve troops | 510,000 | 2,050,870 |
| Military aircraft | 3,731 | 16,755 |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 2,043 | 3,963 |
| Military ships | 1,042 | 786 |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 3 | 13 |
| – incl. submarines | 64 | 115 |
| Main battle tanks | 6,800 | 9,437 |
| Nuclear warheads | 600 | 5,222 |
| Combined defense budget | $281.2 billion | $1.1 trillion |
Overview
China groups 1 country against 4 for Quad. China fields 2,035,000 active troops combined vs 3,107,400 for Quad. Quad's combined $1090B defense budget is 3.9x that of China ($281B).
In the air, China musters 3,731 military aircraft (2,043 combat) against 16,755 (3,963 combat) for Quad. At sea, the fleets total 1,042 ships for China and 786 for Quad, including 64 and 115 submarines respectively. On the ground, China deploys 6,800 main battle tanks vs 9,437 for Quad.
Both blocs hold nuclear weapons: China's members maintain 600 warheads and Quad's hold 5,222.
Combined Military Index
Country ranking →| Pillar | Weight | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manpower | 15% | 98.7 | 2,740,000 effective |
| Ground forces | 20% | 87.2 | 6,800 main battle tanks |
| Naval power | 20% | 100.0 | 1,042 ships, weighted by type |
| Air power | 25% | 91.1 | 3,731 aircraft, weighted by type & age |
| Nuclear deterrent | 10% | 62.2 | 600 warheads |
| Defense budget | 10% | 91.8 | $281B combined, PPP-adjusted |
| Readiness | modifier | ×1.09 | Budget per soldier |
| Pillar | Weight | Score | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manpower | 15% | 100.0 | 4,622,060 effective |
| Ground forces | 20% | 100.0 | 9,437 main battle tanks |
| Naval power | 20% | 100.0 | 786 ships, weighted by type |
| Air power | 25% | 100.0 | 16,755 aircraft, weighted by type & age |
| Nuclear deterrent | 10% | 99.2 | 5,222 warheads |
| Defense budget | 10% | 100.0 | $1090B combined, PPP-adjusted |
| Readiness | modifier | ×1.15 | Budget per soldier |
Combined scores treat each coalition as a single force: raw pillar values (troops, weighted equipment points, warheads, budgets) are summed across members and re-scored on the Global Military Index scale. Alliance cohesion, geography and logistics are not modeled.
Forces by Domain
Member Forces
| Country | GMI | Troops | Aircraft | Ships | Budget share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China ☢ | 84.8 | 2,035,000 | 3,731 | 1,042 | 100% |
| Country | GMI | Troops | Aircraft | Ships | Budget share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States ☢ | 99.8 | 1,326,050 | 12,784 | 234 | 84% |
| 🇮🇳 India ☢ | 68.8 | 1,475,750 | 2,217 | 350 | 7% |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 61.2 | 247,000 | 1,399 | 159 | 5% |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 51.5 | 58,600 | 355 | 43 | 3% |
Economy & Geography
| China | Quad | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1.4 billion | 1.9 billion |
| Combined GDP | $18.7 trillion | $38.4 trillion |
| GDP per capita | $13,303 | $19,795 |
| Defense share of GDP | 1.5% | 2.8% |
| Land area | 9,326,410 km² | 20,118,894 km² |
| Coastline | 14,500 km | 82,435 km |
| Coalition | Country | Status | Warheads | Deployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 🇨🇳 China | Active | 600 | 24 |
| Quad | 🇺🇸 United States | Active | 5,042 | 1,770 |
| Quad | 🇮🇳 India | Active | 180 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is stronger, China or Quad?
On the combined Global Military Index, Quad scores 98.0 against 84.8 for China. The score aggregates each bloc's manpower, ground, naval, air, nuclear and budget pillars as if it fought as a single force — it ignores geography, cohesion and logistics, which decide real wars.
How many troops do China and Quad have?
China fields 2,035,000 active military personnel across 1 member state, plus 510,000 reserves. Quad fields 3,107,400 active personnel and 2,050,870 reserves.
How much do China and Quad spend on defense?
Combined defense spending reaches $281B a year for China and $1090B for Quad, summing each member's latest reported military budget.
Who has more military aircraft, China or Quad?
China operates 3,731 military aircraft (2,043 combat aircraft), while Quad operates 16,755 (3,963 combat). Each member is counted at its most recent inventory year in the GlobalMilitary.net database.
Do China or Quad have nuclear weapons?
Yes — both. China's nuclear-armed members hold 600 warheads combined, against 5,222 for Quad. Only warheads owned by member states are counted; hosted weapons remain with their owner.