The US remained the top military spender last year, with its expenditure growing by 1.7 percent to reach $611 billion between 2015 and 2016, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

China increased its expenditure by 5.4 percent to $215 billion, a lower rate than in previous years,

Russia’s military spending was $69.2 billion, making it the world’s third-largest military spender in 2016.

Saudi Arabia was the third-largest spender in 2015, but dropped to fourth place in 2016, as its expenditure fell by 30 percent to $63.7 billion, despite its continued involvement in regional wars, the SIPRI said.