BMI’s Italy Defence & Security Report for Q412 examines the country’s defence posture, defence / procurement and defence industry.

BMI’s Germany Defence & Security Report for Q412 examines the country’s defence posture, defence / procurement initiatives and its

BMI's Sudan Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the strategic position of the Republic of / Sudan both in the African r

Following the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, which was completed on December 18 2011, the / country is now contemplating the e

BMI’s Philippines Defence & Security Report Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic position in the / Asia Pacific region and the

The South Korea Defence and Security Report examines the country’s strategic position in the North East / Asian region and the wid

BMI’s Taiwan Defence and Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic position in the / Asia-Pacific region. It pr

BMI’s Japan Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic position in the / East Asian region and the wid

BMI’s Australia Defence & Security report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic position in the / Pacific region and the wi

BMI's Egypt Defence & Security Report for Q412 examines the country’s strategic position in the / Middle East and the wider world.

BMI's Kuwait Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic position in the / Middle East and the wider wo

BMI’s Indonesia Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic position in the / South East Asian region a

Syria remains an important actor in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. It plays a key part in the / ongoing dispute betwee

The United Kingdom maintains an important role in NATO; transatlantic and European defence relations; / and a military presence ar

BMI Industry View / In the short term, we expect the consumer sector to continue to be bolstered by extensive fiscal and / monetar

Executive Summary / BMI’s India Defence & Security Report for Q412 examines the country’s strategic position in the Asian / region

BMI’s Spain Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic posture, its / defence industry and its defence

Executive Summary / BMI's Iran Defence & Security Report examines the country’s strategic position in the Middle East and / the wi

Libya is at a significant crossroads following the conclusion of the country's civil war in 2011, and the / subsequent end of the

The China Defence and Security Report examines the country’s strategic position in Asia and the wider / world. It provides an over

BMI’s latest South Africa Defence and Security Report examines the country’s strategic position in / Africa and the wider world. I

BMI’s Poland Defence & Security Report for Q412 examines the country’s strategic position in Europe and the wider world. It provid

BMI's Colombia Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s defence posture, military procurement and its internal

BMI’s Croatia Defence & Security Report examines the military and security posture of this Balkans nation. The report has been wri

BMI's Kazakhstan And Central Asia Defence & Security Report for Q412 aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the defence postu

BMI's Israel Defence & Security Report for Q412 examines the country’s strategic position in the Middle East and the wider world.

As NATO's only Muslim member, and occupying a unique geographical position at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Asia,

BMI’s Malaysia Defence and Security Report examines the country’s strategic position in South East Asia and the wider region. It p

BMI View: Mozambique has quietly been establishing itself as one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most promising economies over the past fe

BMI View: Strong private consumption growth from an already reasonably high base (Namibia is one of the wealthiest countries in Su

Our near-term consumer outlook for Vietnam is looking increasingly worrying. Growing uncertainties over unemployment in the manufa

Romania stands in a strategically important position in Europe. The country is flanked by the former Soviet Union republics of Ukr

Despite the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact over two decades ago, Russia remains an important international ac

BMI’s latest UAE Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic position in the Middle East and the wider

BMI’s Saudi Arabia Defence and Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the country’s strategic position in the Middle East and the wi

BMI View: Following weeks of speculation and apocalyptic warnings of a potential exit from the eurozone, Greek elections have yiel

BMI’s Bulgaria Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 provides a detailed examination of the country’s / defence establishment. Thi

BMI’s Brazil Defence & Security Report for Q4 2012 examines the current health and future prospects of / the country’s defence com

BMI View: Angola has one of the strongest economic growth outlooks in Sub-Saharan Africa, and we are / unsurprisingly bullish on t

BMI View: Amid solid but unspectacular mining-led economic growth, we expect to see below-trend / private consumption growth of 5.

We are relatively optimistic about the near-term domestic demand conditions in Malaysia. Cash handouts / targeted at around 5.2mn

BMI’s Australia Defence and Security report for Q312 examines the country’s strategic position in the / Pacific region and the wid

BMI’s Indonesia Defence & Security Report for Q312 examines the country’s strategic position in the / South East Asian region and

BMI’s latest Saudi Arabia Defence and Security Report for Q312 examines the country’s strategic / position in the Middle East and

Syria remains an important actor in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. It plays a key part in the / ongoing dispute betwee

As Vietnam embarks on the costly process of modernising its armed forces, would-be partners from around the world have begun linin

Uganda’s defence expenditure is estimated to have risen 19.74% y-o-y in 2010, accounting for 12.9% of government spending. BMI exp

Following the crippling floods of late 2011, Thailand entered ‘recovery mode’ in early 2012, and began counting the cost of the di

Canada will spend up to US$18.5bn on defence for FY2011/12. Over the long term, the country’s defence budget is expected to grow t

While the instability that threatens Iraq both internally and externally has hardly abated, there were some positive signs in earl

The Greek defence budget is expected to experience a serious reduction of around 16% compared to 2011 figures as austerity measure

The defence posture of Germany has been controversial domestically since the end of World War II, and little is likely to change i

Along with several other countries in the eurozone, Italy is currently in the middle of a severe financial crisis that is causing

The relationship between the Philippines and the Unites States was firmly in the spotlight in early 2012, as the US military’s Joi

Singapore took centre stage in the defence world as it held the biannual Singapore Air Show in February 2012. Now Asia’s most impo

Upon the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in December 2011, the outlook for the Korean peninsula became uncertain even by

Despite the euphoria in South Sudan over independence and international recognition in mid-2011, relations between Juba and Kharto

The re-election of President Ma Ying-jeou in January 2012 was a victory for the status quo in relations between Taiwan and the Peo

The first two months of 2012 has seen the internal unrest that erupted in Syria in 2011 steadily worsen, as popular uprisings agai

With what has been largely judged to be a successful military intervention in Libya under the auspices of NATO’s Operation Unified

The Spanish defence community finds itself in a similar position to many nations throughout Europe. On the one hand, Spain's gover

In an announcement that could have far-reaching implications for South East Asia’s strategic landscape, Defence Minister Purnomo Y

In announcing the selection of the Dassault Rafale as the Indian Air Force (IAF)’s new medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA) at

France continues to maintain one of the world’s largest armed forces and the largest combined military service in Western Europe.

Political turmoil, fragile security and tense relations with both Afghanistan and the United States meant that early 2012 was as u

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda visited Okinawa in late February 2012 amid hopes that a long-running controversy over the basing of

In a move that has the potential to change the strategic picture in the Asia Pacific region, Australia and / the US agreed in Nove

Having navigated its way through the turmoil of the Arab Spring with less difficulty than perhaps any / other Arab government, the

Turkey continues to face security challenges both at home and abroad; a trend which looks set to persist / throughout 2012. Turkis

China faced two potentially serious internal challenges to its stability in early 2012. A village uprising in / Wukan, Guangdong,

The acquittal of Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat (PR), on politically / inspired sodomy charges i

Libya emerged, for all intents and purposes, as a new country following the death of its former leader / Colonel Muammar Qadhafi o

South Africa’s defence force remains the most advanced on the continent and operates with a consistent / focus on training and red

The legacy of the Arab Spring continued to weigh heavily on the Saudi Arabian government in early / 2012, as tensions remained hig

Russia has embarked on a long-term modernisation programme for its armed forces which is due to / conclude by 2020. Apart from per

Romania is continuing its process of defence modernisation despite the financial challenges that the / country is currently facing

The influence of the Arab Spring spread to Kuwait in late 2011, as protests that began in September / culminated in the storming o

Israel faces a security crisis in 2012 over Iran’s nuclear programme, and more specifically in deciding whether to attack Iran in

The Islamic Republic of Iran was at the centre of the world’s most pressing security crisis in early 2012, as Tehran refused to b

Uganda’s defence expenditure is estimated to have risen 37.21% y-o-y in 2010, accounting for 12.9% of government spending. BMI exp

The Government of Bulgaria remains focused on an armed forces modernisation initiative, which was launched to enhance compatibilit

As 2011 unfolded, the US defence industry became increasingly disturbed at the scope of spending cuts that could have a significan

Thailand was thrown into disarray in late 2011 not, as many had predicted, by its dysfunctional politics but by the forces of natu

BMI estimates that Canada’s defence spending totalled US$20.89bn in 2010, or US$614 per capita. Overall, this was an 8.6% increase

If security fears dominated Vietnam’s strategic attention in the middle of 2011, economic fears had supplanted them by the end of

As Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff completes her first full year in power, the country shows every sign of retaining its place a

The Greek government has announced another round of spending cuts, with the axe falling heavily on defence spending once again. On

Following the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the Korean peninsula appears to be in a state of calm as both North and So

There has been slow progress in relations between the governments of Juba and Khartoum since our last update with unstable relatio

In late October 2011 France concluded its support of NATO military operations over Libya and around the country’s coastline, follo

The eurozone debt crisis has continued to roll on, posing a major challenge for the German government. While domestically any move

Defence spending is being severely impacted by the scale of Italy’s economic crisis and the resultant austerity measures. In Augus

The outcome of presidential elections in January 2012 will set the tone of cross-strait relations for the next few years. / While

In 2011 India began to realise its potential as the world’s most important emerging market for defence / equipment, announcing a

Indonesia found itself at the heart of Asian – if not world – diplomacy in November 2011, as Bali played / host to back-to-back g

With Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qadhafi now dead, and the rebel Transitional National Council / (TNC) now the de facto governm

The Spanish defence industry is seeing an increasing spending squeeze, in line with general budgetary trimming and austerity measu

Syria continues to crack down brutally on anti-regime protesters with the most recent (July 2011) assaults / on Hama and the east

The UK’s defence budget cuts, announced in 2010 as part of a wider policy of fiscal retrenchment to / address the country’s defic

Bosnia is still without a government, despite parliamentary elections having taken place in October / 2011,with the country showi

In 2011 BMI estimates that defence spending fell by 1.12% in Jordanian dinar terms, to JOD1.01bn. This / fall is viewed as tempor

Over the course of 2011, two significant trends have lent themselves to a renewed interest in the activities / of North Korea, an

In 2012 BMI expects a significant rise in dollar spending on the Ukrainian defence forces – up to / US$4.65bn from 2011’s figure

Although it is yet to be seen what effect (if any) the killing of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi by antigovernment / militants wil

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has maintained political and economic stability in a region fraught with / turbulence. High living

China's relations with neighbouring countries, especially those with which it disputes territories in the South China Sea, dominat

Australia's increasingly close defence and security ties with the United States dominated the debate about the country's strategic

In 2011 BMI estimates that the Belarusian government will have a defence expenditure of US$692mn. This is down significantly by 2

The Slovenian defence budget for 2010 was EUR557mn (US$738mn). This marked a 9% drop compared with 2009’s EUR612mn budget, as the

Once an anchor of stability in South East Asia, Malaysia’s increasingly uncertain political landscape places domestic factors at t

Regional stability looks precarious as Saudi Arabia competes with Iran over Gulf dominance, following events that saw regime chang

Turkey is facing increased security risks: externally from the Syrian crackdown on protesters in the country; and, domestically fr

At first glance, Romania’s security and defence situation appears very similar to that of neighbouring countries in south eastern

According to data published by Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, Russia’s military-industrial complex increased its total produ

Egypt is heading into what can arguably be considered the most critical stage of its post-Mubarak democratic transition, as parlia

Iran has a domestic defence industry that provides the country with particularly good ballistic missile technology and facilities.

Much of the attention on Iraq in H211 and going into 2012, will focus on the agreed withdrawal of the remaining 46,000 US military

While the Arab Spring has raised hopes for a new more democratic and more peaceful Middle East for many in Israel, the overthrow o

Over the last quarter, Kuwait shifted slightly further away from its status as being one of the countries in the region most insul

BMI estimates that defence spending totalled US$1,080m in 2011, equal to 5.4% of overall government expenditure and 2.3% of GDP. T

Venezuela’s relationship with Russia under President Hugo Chávez’s regime again proved to be a fruitful one for the country’s defe

The past quarter has been a significant one for Brazil’s defence and security sector. Eager to make her mark having only come to p

In October 2011 it does not appear that the security issues – or the overall situation of Bulgaria’s defence industry – have chang

In our last update, we noted that the October 2011 regional elections taking place in Colombia may prove to be a key turning point

In terms of the main defence and security issues, Croatia has much in common with other countries in south eastern Europe. An aspi

In very general terms, the security situation across central Asia remained unchanged through mid-2011. Each of the five countries

Poland’s Presidency of the European Union (EU) through H211 should provide the opportunity for the government to promote four majo

The Argentine defence sector did not see any major shocks over 2011. Tensions continue to grow between the UK and Argentina concer

Chile’s transition to a centre-right government led by Sebastián Piñera during the 2009-2010 elections indicated the continuing gr

In 2011, BMI foresees defence expenditure will stand at 1.22% of GDP, a figure which we see being the high point of spending for s

Mexico’s defence and security sector was teetering on the edge of a potential overhaul in late 2011, with the nature of defence sp

In terms of Slovakia’s defence industry, the picture has remained largely unchanged despite an unexpected though very temporary sp

The Spanish defence industry is witnessing an increasing squeeze on spending, in line with general budgetary trimming and austeri

South Africa’s defence force remains the most advanced on the continent and operates with a consistent focus on training and rede

Singapore’s military recruitment strategy is similar to that of Israel, owing to its small population and relatively high defence

While the Philippines enjoys relative regional security it faces significant internal threats, mainly through Islamic groups in t

Pakistan and the US continue to deal with the fall-out of the killing of Osama bin Laden with claims that Pakistan has allowed Ch

The Greek government has announced another round of spending cuts, with the axe falling heavily on defence spending once again. O

Australia’s prominent role in the South Pacific region remains important but local foreign policy has been somewhat neglected with

The Indian military formalised its Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan 2012–2027 (LTIPP) in February 2011 – entailing its commit

Instability in Papua currently poses the greatest threat to Indonesia’s security, with the province experiencing widespread violen

The publication of Japan’s defence white paper for 2011 angered Beijing for its focus on the ‘China threat’ theory which Tokyo use

The UK’s defence budget cuts, announced in 2010 as part of a wider policy of fiscal retrenchment to address the country’s deficit,

Since March 2011, France, along with several other NATO members and allied nations, has performed air strikes and naval operations

Poland’s Presidency of the European Union (EU) through H211 should provide the opportunity for the government to promote four majo

With Libyan rebels having taken control of large parts of Tripoli on August 21, it is now only a matter of time before Colonel Mua

South Africa’s defence force remains the most advanced on the continent and operates with a consistent focus on training and redev

Syria continues to crack down brutally on anti-regime protesters with the most recent (July 2011) assaults on Hama and the eastern

Turkey is facing increased security risks: externally from the Syrian crackdown on protesters in the country; and, domestically fr

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has shown continued political and economic stability in a region fraught with turbulence. High livi

Since February 2011, when it assumed power, the transitional government of Egypt – the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF)

Iran has a domestic defence industry which provides the country with particularly good ballistic missile technology and facilities

Much of the attention on Iraq in H211 will focus on the agreed withdrawal of the remaining 46,000 US military forces in the countr

Security in Israel is dominated by the situation in Gaza. In the first three weeks of July 2011, 15 rockets were launched into Gaz

Kuwait has not been immune to the escalating political upheaval in the Middle East region despite being one of the countries in th

Regional stability looks precarious as Saudi Arabia competes with Iran over Gulf dominance amid the increasingly turbulent Middle

According to data published by Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, Russia’s military-industrial complex increased its total produ

At first glance, Romania’s security and defence situation appears very similar to that of neighbouring countries in south eastern

The Canadian defence industry and market is still in a state of flux, with massive changes and development likely in the wake of t

It remains to be seen whether the three months to the regional elections that are due to take place in Colombia in October 2011 tu

In very general terms, the security situation across central Asia remained unchanged through mid-2011. Each of the five countries

As President Yoweri Museveni’s government appeared to have successfully weathered demonstrations through Q211, BMI expects Uganda’

The US defence market is emerging from the boom years, as there is growing consensus over the need to control spending as deficits

Most of the newsflow pertaining to defence and security issues in Brazil through mid-2011 have confirmed that the various major tr

In mid-July 2011, it does not appear that the security issues – or the overall situation of Bulgaria’s defence industry – have cha

BMI expects defence spending in Sudan to rise further in 2011, with a forecast expenditure of US$3.1bn for the year as steady expe

As the German economy continues to surge forward, leaving other European and developed world economies behind, the German governme

The Greek government faced another descent into chaos in early June as the fifth tranche of IMF/EU loans looked likely to be block

The Italian defence sector is still facing similar pressures to those of many other EU countries. Ongoing economic troubles – incl

Vietnam has accused China of raising political tensions in the region following a territorial dispute in the South China Sea in Ma

With a military budget second only to the United States, China has developed a strategy for the future and is working towards it d

The Indian security situation is coming to a fork in the road. The death of Osama Bin Laden and the slowing of Chinese growth coul

The Indonesian arms trade is currently diversifying from its traditional partners and patterns to incorporate greater breadth in c

Japan’s security position has remained almost unchanged for quite some time and there seems no likelihood that it will change in t

There is a small and developing defence industry in Malaysia, specialising in explosives, small arms manufacture and shipbuilding.

Singapore’s military recruitment strategy is similar to that of Israel, owing to its small population and relatively high defence

Tensions on the Korean peninsula remain heightened and North Korea is likely to carry out more provocations in the region over the

The Spanish defence industry is likely to experience the same pressures affecting that of many of its European partners. As develo

Taiwan enjoys strong economic ties with China and a close political relationship with the United States. Officially a ‘province’,

Thai general elections will be held on July 3 2011 with the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) party (also know

The outlook for the British defence industry is largely unchanged from previous quarters. Significant pressure is still set to be

Australia continues to assume its role as a strong regional power, exerting diplomatic power on the global stage and maintaining s

France and the UK have announced that they are deploying ground attack helicopters in Libya to tackle the armed forces of the gove

Pakistan's long-documented governance deficiency continues to aid the endurance of Islamist militancy. On April 5 2011, a report d

Despite an announcement by Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie that China ‘never intends to threaten any nation’, in relation

Of the 28 NATO members, Turkey has the second largest armed forces, behind only the US. This is primarily due to its geopolitical

Israel’s consumer electronics devices market, defined as the addressable market for computing devices, mobile handsets and AV prod

Iran’s current defence minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi talked in regional media in April 2011 about how important upgradin

South Africa’s defence force remains the most advanced on the continent and operates with a consistent focus on training and redev

Syria is in a delicate position in the Middle East, involved in countless disputes and largely unsupported by its neighbours. The

Regardless of the looming clouds on the horizon stemming from the political crisis in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the

Egypt is undergoing dramatic political change, with ex-President Mubarak being ousted by millions of protesters and replaced by a

Iraq has almost no indigenous defence industry and relies greatly on the support of the US, UK and other allies to provide and fun

Since the cessation of Operation Cast Lead in January 2009, the number of rockets fired into southern Israel from Gaza has been la

At the time of writing (late April 2011), the civil war in Libya continues. Colonel Muammar Qadhafi still holds some key populatio

The defence industry and security position in Croatia both remain virtually static. The good news is that the country faces no rea

A tight government budget and pressure to modernise have strained the newly formed top-level administration of the Polish Military

On March 18 2011, defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov announced that the Defence Ministry will spend US$665bn on a new state arms p

The outlook for the defence sector in all five countries comprising Central Asia remains relatively stable. An antiquated defence

Kuwait’s defence industry has seen another healthy quarter, with GDP increasing and the government’s development plan taking effec

Our forecasts remain unchanged for the quarter. Greek defence expenditure fell 5.66% to EUR8.4bn in 2010, according to BMI estimat

India maintains a substantial defence force. Like most countries, it scaled back the size of its military with the ending of the C

The tough reforms pushed through by Prime Minister Zapatero over the course of 2010 may well have saved Spain the same humiliation

Malaysia's Q310 real GDP growth of 5.3% y-o-y was largely in line with our expectations, supporting our full-year forecast of 6.4%

The UK defence industry is set for a difficult 2011, as the government's austerity programme begins to impact on existing and pote

Pakistan remains an unstable ‘hotspot’ with revelations revealed by Wikileaks website in late November 2010 that a number of US di

The Philippines faces a number of security and political challenges. Given the low income levels and high levels of inequality in

An agreement between Singapore and Malaysia in 2010 has laid the foundations for further strategic alliances within the region. Ma

Tensions with North Korea have continued to define the security outlook in South Korea this quarter. Following a series of violent

In theory, Taiwan remains a renegade province of China that is separate from the mainland, with its position guaranteed by its own

On March 19 2011 a coalition of forces from several nations, including the US, launched airstrikes on Libya, ostensibly to enforce

In 2004 and then again in 2009, Indonesia held fair and peaceful parliamentary and presidential elections. There is now finally ev

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan's position is looking increasingly untenable and we believe that he could be forced to leave off

Australia saw real GDP growth slow in 2010, expanding by just 0.2% quarter-on-quarter (seasonally adjusted) in Q310. Our expectati

The Chinese economy cooled down through 2010, particularly from declining growth in exports and less fixed-asset investment. Our l

A major aim of France’s industrial and foreign policy is to enhance its military ties with a range of foreign countries, both to b

Turkey’s defence outlook is hugely influenced by its unique geographical location and historically diverse political allegiances.

Following a general trend in the Gulf Co-operation Countries, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been ramping up its military defe

Syria is a player in several of the Middle East’s disputes and this puts it at risk of retaliatory action. On the other hand, none

BMI believes that 2011 will be the year that the Romanian port of Constantza begins it recovery. According to our predictions (ful

BMI expects to see strong growth and continued investment in the Brazilian freight transport sector in Q211. Growth will continue

BMI View: Following elections in October 2010, the centre-right Civic Democrat party (ODS) formed a coalition with the right-wing

The Hungarian economy will experience a recovery in 2011, but it will not be plain sailing. BMI continues to see two big structura

Global freight transport levels have continued their recovery from the economic downturn and are increasing across the world. The

The outlook for the defence sector in all five countries comprising Central Asia remains relatively stable. An antiquated defence

President Juan Manuel Santos took over from Álvaro Uribe after the election in August 2010. President Santos is expected to capita

The prognosis for Croatia’s accession to the EU is no clearer this quarter and this continues to hinder the outlook for the defenc

The political landscape in Israel continues its fragile balancing act of progressing the resolution of external issues while tryin

Russian defence policy and military doctrine is defined by the State Programme of Armaments (GPV- 2015), published in 2010. Russia

The largest ever arms deal between Saudi Arabia and the US looks set to cement the two countries’ relationship. The proposed US$60

South Africa maintains an all-volunteer set of armed forces, which represent the best-equipped and most advanced military on the A

Libya’s descent into virtual civil war in mid-February 2011 is the biggest shake-up to the country’s political environment since C

As new President Dilma Rousseff takes office – with a mandate to continue her predecessor's policy trajectory – her administration

East-West relations between Russia and the EU continue to dominate Bulgaria’s security landscape. A tough stance by Prime Minister

As we went to press in February 2011, Egypt was on the cusp of dramatic political change, with President Hosni Mubarak, in power s

Prestige, and its self image as a regional leader, underlies much that the Iranian regime does. Persia was a great power in ancien

The coming year is likely to herald significant developments in Iraq as the withdrawal of the remaining 50,000 US troops, schedule

The defence industry in Kuwait continues to strengthen. Defence arrangements with other Arab states saw significant progress, most

Poland has been rebuilding its top level military administration following the deaths of many of its leaders in the presidential p

Moving into 2011, Romania’s Defence industry continues to show tentative signs of growth. This is despite a confusing political si

BMI estimates that Canada’s defence spending totalled US$20.734bn in 2010, or US$607 per capita. Overall, this was a 7.7% increase

In 2010, as fiscal austerity measures bit deep into the Greek budget, defence expenditure fell 12.1% to EUR8.3bn, according to BMI

BMI estimates that US defence spending totalled US498.729bn in 2010, by some way the biggest defence budget in the world. However,

BMI estimates that Sudanese defence expenditure rose by 36.18% in 2010 to US$3.308bn, from US$2.469bn in 2009. This took defence s

In 2010, BMI estimates that Uganda’s defence spending totalled US$450mn, up 37.21% from US$328mn in 2009. Per capita spending is s

Overall, 2010 was a year in which the general trends within Taiwan’s security situation and Defence and Security Report 2011 indus

In December 2010, it appeared that the security situation in Thailand was improving. The six-month anniversary of the government’s

On August 17 2010, Vietnam and the US held Defence and Security Report 2011 talks for the first time. Vietnam’s deputy Defence and

North Korea's highly provocative attack on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in the disputed maritime border region on Novembe

France, like many European countries, has been scaling back defence spending as part of a programme of fiscal tightening. In 2010,

The Czech Republic is a highly stable country, having been one of the most prosperous and secure former communist states, and lock

Russia’s key defence plans are the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation (published in 2010) and the State Programme of Arma

More signs of Belarus’s shift towards Europe and away from Russia, and changes in its security strategy, became evident in a speec

As one of the PIGS European economies, Spain has difficult financial problems to deal with. Given the recent Irish bail-out, eyes

In 2011, BMI expects defence expenditure of US$1.763bn, or 2.3% of total government spending, up from US$1.681bn in 2010. The Hung

Geographically, Turkey straddles the Bosphorus and therefore lies on the border between Europe and Asia. Politically, it lies on t

Seen from an international perspective, the most significant developments in the Middle East in the coming twelve months are likel

Slovenia’s defence spending was cut substantially in 2010, by 9.74% to US$707mn, from US$783mn in 2009, a reduction from US$383.40

When major defence reforms are concluded in early 2011, Serbia’s armed forces will number nearly 36,000 members, theoretically adh

Slovakia is a secure and increasingly affluent country almost entirely surrounded by fellow NATO members. While organised crime, e

Argentina faces rising internal and external tensions after a period of military retrenchment, though the prospect of armed confli

Bosnia’s October 3 elections to national, entity and cantonal parliaments, to the three-member national presidency (one Bosniak, o

Chile is the second biggest per capita arms importer in the Americas, and the 11th largest in the world, according to the Stockhol

North East Asia will remain a zone of potential great power rivalry for the foreseeable future, due to the shifting dynamics betwe

In September 2010, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made a comparison between Mexico’s current situation with regards to domes

Despite numerous fiscal difficulties, 2010 has shown the first signs of positive growth for the Romanian defence industry. This ma

Syria is located at the very centre of the volatile Middle East. It is a player in several of the region’s disputes and this puts

Ukraine’s defence spending fell slightly in 2010, by 0.60% to US$3.229bn, or US$70.90 per head, BMI estimates. Defence expenditure

As President Hugo Chávez’s government busied itself with refuting multiple accusations that it is harbouring militants – which shu

The United Arab Emirates has ramped up efforts to build up its military defence capabilities, in line with broader trends emerging

Australia's relationship with China has become increasingly important in recent years, owing to China's emergence as Australia's b

India maintains a substantial defence force. Like most countries it scaled back the size of its military with the ending of the Co

In 2004 and then again in 2009 Indonesia held fair and peaceful parliamentary and presidential elections. There is now finally evi

Kazakhstan’s prospects for future political liberalisation have weakened. On June 15 2010, parliament extended President Nazarbaye

The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition is likely to remain in power after the next general elections, which is due in 2013, al

In late November 2010, a number of US diplomatic cables made public on the WikiLeaks website demonstrated significant US concerns

The German government looks set to reduce overall spending by around EUR80bn by 2014. This is mainly due to a 5% contraction in GD

Kuwait has continued to modernise and develop its armed forces, armaments and infrastructure since liberation after the Gulf War o

The Philippines faces a number of security and political challenges. Given the low income levels and high levels of inequality in

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan's approval rating has dropped to 27%, according to an Asahi survey published on November 16, fro

An extremely stable regime and booming economic outlook have helped the People’s Action Party (PAP) maintain power and oversee con

South Korea saw tensions rise with its neighbour in Q410 as violent outbreaks brought worldwide attention to the security situatio

In 2010, BMI estimates that Jordan’s defence expenditure totalled JOD1.673bn, 11.3% of government spending and 5.9% of GDP. In 201

On October 19, the Government published its Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). The headline theme is a serious reductio

Political risks are rising, and the Israeli flotilla raid has put the Egyptian government under further pressure ahead of the Nove

The defence and security issues surrounding Israel are well understood, essentially static and seemingly intractable. / On each s

There was a time when the analysis of Libya was quite straightforward. The country was a pariah state, a supporter of multiple ter

The South African arms industry has yet to recover from the decline brought on by the momentous events in the 1990s, including the