Azerbaijan is set to increase military expenditures in 2026, allocating 8.7148 billion manats for defense and security, according to preliminary budget indicators published by the Ministry of Finance, as reported by Minval.az.
The planned military budget reflects a 3.8% increase compared to the approved defense budget for 2025.
In contrast, Armenia does not plan to raise its defense spending in 2026 relative to 2025. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan explained that the 2025 defense budget had already seen a sharp increase compared to 2024, amounting to 115 billion drams. He added that loans originally due for repayment by 2030 or 2035 were deliberately paid off early to reduce future debt burdens.
At an international security forum, Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia seeks not a combat-ready but a defense-capable army.
