Military Strength: China vs Russia
Russia (ranked #2 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than China (#3) on the Global Military Index. China fields 2,535,000 active troops vs 1,454,000 for Russia, backed by 510,000 reserves and 500,000 paramilitary. China's $314B defense budget is 2.1x that of Russia ($149B). In the air, China operates 3,440 aircraft including 1,986 combat jets, while Russia fields 4,300 with 1,524 fighters. At sea, China's 1023-ship navy outnumbers Russia's 477 vessels, including 61 and 60 submarines respectively. On the ground, China deploys 6,800 main battle tanks vs 5,750 for Russia. Both are nuclear powers: China maintains 600 warheads and Russia holds 5,459.
| Global Military Index | 81.4 (#3) ◉ |
| 🪖 Military personnel | 2,535,000 ◉ |
| – Reserve troops | 510,000 ◉ |
| – Paramilitary forces | 500,000 ◉ |
| 🛩️ Military aircraft | 3,440 ◉ |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 1,986 ◉ |
| – incl. bombers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. helicopters | 1,019 ◉ |
| ⚓️ Military ships | 1023 ◉ |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 3 ◉ |
| – incl. submarines | 61 ◉ |
| 🚛 Main battle tanks | 6,800 ◉ |
| 💥 Nuclear warheads | 600 ◉ |
| – incl. deployed | 24 ◉ |
| Global Military Index | 82.2 (#2) ◉ |
| 🪖 Military personnel | 1,454,000 ◉ |
| – Reserve troops | 1,500,000 ◉ |
| – Paramilitary forces | 559,000 ◉ |
| 🛩️ Military aircraft | 4,300 ◉ |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 1,524 ◉ |
| – incl. bombers | 152 ◉ |
| – incl. helicopters | 1,604 ◉ |
| ⚓️ Military ships | 477 ◉ |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 2 ◉ |
| – incl. submarines | 60 ◉ |
| 🚛 Main battle tanks | 5,750 ◉ |
| 💥 Nuclear warheads | 5459 ◉ |
| – incl. deployed | 1718 ◉ |
🇨🇳 China Global Military Index
81.7
Global Rank: #3
| 🪖 Manpower (15%) | 91.2 | Active, reserve & paramilitary: 2440000 effective |
| 🛡️ Ground Firepower (20%) | 85.2 | Main battle tanks: 6800 |
| ⚓ Naval Power (20%) | 78.7 | Weighted by ship type: carriers, submarines, destroyers... |
| ✈️ Air Power (25%) | 79.4 | Weighted by aircraft type: combat, bombers, helicopters... |
| ☢️ Nuclear Deterrent (10%) | 69.5 | Strategic arsenal: 600 warheads |
| 💰 Defense Budget (10%) | 84.6 | $313658M annual military spending |
🇷🇺 Russia Global Military Index
83.5
Global Rank: #2
| 🪖 Manpower (15%) | 90.1 | Active, reserve & paramilitary: 2017700 effective |
| 🛡️ Ground Firepower (20%) | 83.5 | Main battle tanks: 5750 |
| ⚓ Naval Power (20%) | 80.1 | Weighted by ship type: carriers, submarines, destroyers... |
| ✈️ Air Power (25%) | 80.0 | Weighted by aircraft type: combat, bombers, helicopters... |
| ☢️ Nuclear Deterrent (10%) | 93.4 | Strategic arsenal: 5459 warheads |
| 💰 Defense Budget (10%) | 79.6 | $148967M annual military spending |
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| Population | 1.4 billion ◉ |
| GDP | $17.8 trillion ◉ |
| GDP per capita | $12,614 ◉ |
| Military Budget | $313.7 billion ◉ |
| Share of GDP in Milex | 1.7% ◉ |
| Share of Govt Expenditures | 5.1% ◉ |
| Military spends per capita | $221 ◉ |
| Population | 143.8 million ◉ |
| GDP | $2.0 trillion ◉ |
| GDP per capita | $14,055 ◉ |
| Military Budget | $149.0 billion ◉ |
| Share of GDP in Milex | 7.0% ◉ |
| Share of Govt Expenditures | 18.9% ◉ |
| Military spends per capita | $1026 ◉ |
China Geography
| Land Area | 9,326,410 km² ◉ |
| Coastline Length | 14,500 km ◉ |
Russia Geography
| Land Area | 16,378,410 km² ◉ |
| Coastline Length | 37,653 km ◉ |
Military Forces Chart
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Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, China or Russia?
China has approximately 2,535,000 active military personnel compared to Russia's 1,454,000, giving China a 1.7:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, China or Russia?
China operates 1,986 combat aircraft compared to Russia's 1,524. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, China or Russia?
China has a larger navy with 1023 vessels compared to Russia's 477 ships. China operates 61 submarines while Russia has 60.
Which country spends more on defense, China or Russia?
China has a larger defense budget at $313.7 billion (2:1 more) compared to Russia's $149.0 billion annually.
Do China and Russia have nuclear weapons?
Yes, both China and Russia possess nuclear weapons. China has approximately 600 nuclear warheads while Russia has 5,459.
How do the tank forces of China and Russia compare?
China operates 6,800 main battle tanks compared to Russia's 5,750. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.