The Italian defense budget amounts to 2025 a 31.295 billion of euros (about 1.5% of our country’s GDP), recording a growth of over 2 billion euro (12.4%) compared to 2024 and 60% compared to ten years ago. These funds, in addition to being intended for the financing of military missions abroad and defense programs on the national territory, they also serve to maintain the logistical and technological infrastructuresthe remuneration and pensions of military personnel, the purchase of new armaments and to the financing of Research and development programs.
How much the Italian state has spent for the military in recent years
Italy, considering the last ten years, has spent an overall annual sum for the defense that varies among the 25 and 30 billion euros. The increase in Italian military spending for 2025 is a “historical” record, but must be examined on the basis of the distribution of funds between the various activities and programs.
Within the “Defense Budget”, not only the funds intended for military missions abroad must be considered, but also the numerous programs in progress in which our country is involved, both from a national point of view – as “safe roads “and” safe stations “that provide for a fund of approx 240 million euros per year until 2027 – what international, like Italy’s participation in NATO programs. It is estimated that in 2024 the amount for the financing of NATO Innovation Fund is approximately 7.7 million euros: It is a bottom of Venture Capital (It is a form of financing that provides for investment in emerging companies or startups with high growth potential), in which 24 countries of the Atlantic alliance participate, to support Deep Tech startup In the field of defense, such as robotics, IA and engineering.
What Italian funds are intended for defense
Funds intended for defense and military spending are used in numerous areas. The main ones are as follows:
- National military operations and international missions: Italy participates in various international missions, some of which as a NATO member country, United Nations or European Union. These missions are also included those of Peacekeeping, humanitarian and maintenance of the armed forces.
- Purchase of armaments and expenses for new technologies: An important part of the budget is used for the purchase of armaments, combat planes (such as F35), military material and also technological infrastructures and equipment that allow greater defense and safety also from the point of view of communications.
- Research and development: Part of the defense funds is invested in research and development programs for the improvement of defense skills.
In addition, the costs for the remuneration and pensions of the military personnel must be considered, whose amount constitutes about the 50% of defense expenditure, in addition to the funds for the programs of Training and training of the armed forces.
How the funds are divided
Generally the funds for military and defense expenditure vary every year, but looking at the budget 2025 i direct costs, Especially for the staff of the Armed Forces, they are among the major expenses. It is estimated that about 6 billion euros are used for the‘Army, 2.8 billion forAeronautics, 2.3 billion for the Navy. To these must be added the expenses for the military missions abroad, which amount to about 1.21 billion And 4.5 billion for military spending on the system pension, In addition to the costs for military bases and participation fees as EU and NATO Member Country. As for the funds for new armaments It is estimated that the expenditure of 2025 amounts to almost 13 billion euros. The current military expenditure represents about the‘1.5% of the country’s GDPhowever, remaining lower than the average of theEuropean Unionwhich is about the 2%. Since 2014, in fact, especially for the growth of geopolitical tensions globally, the NATO member countries have agreed to work to achieve the goal of allocating at least 2% of GDP to the expenses for the defense and the US president Donald Trump he said he wanted to increase the current threshold from 2% to 5% of the GDP of the NATO Member States.
