In a stunning revelation that highlights the growing economic burden of global instability, a new analysis by the Global Peace Index has found that violence and conflict drained an estimated Rs 1,577 trillion (nearly $19 trillion) from the world economy in 2024 alone. The number is so massive that it surpasses the GDP of major economies and represents one of the highest recorded costs of conflict in modern history.
The findings, visualised by Visual Capitalist, underscore a grim truth: despite technological advancement and global development, the world is spending more on conflict than at any other time in recent decades.
Record-High Military Spending Signals a World on Edge
The largest financial drain comes from military spending, which skyrocketed to $9 trillion (₹747 trillion). With escalating tensions in Europe, West Asia, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific, nations are pouring resources into weapons, defence technology, and standing armies. Experts say this marks the most significant defence surge since the Cold War, driven by prolonged wars, border conflicts, and fears of geopolitical shifts.
Internal Security Bills Explode as Violence Intensifies
The second biggest cost is internal security, reaching an astonishing
$5.7 trillion (Rs 473 trillion). This includes policing, intelligence operations, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and the cost of managing crime.
The report makes an alarming observation: conflict-related deaths have surged 421% since 2008, indicating a clear escalation in global violence despite decades of peacebuilding attempts.
Human Costs With Heavy Economic Shadows
Beyond warfare, everyday violence adds enormous pressure on global economies:
Private security: Rs 124.5T
Homicides: Rs 91.3T
Violent crime: Rs 51.2T
GDP loss due to conflict: Rs 38.3T
Refugee & displacement costs: Rs 28.4T
Incarceration: Rs 11.8T
Impact of terrorism: Rs 664B
Even peacebuilding carries a price tag:
Peacebuilding operations: ₹2.49T
UN peacekeeping: Rs 1.32T
Small arms control: Rs 1.83T
These numbers showcase the enormous financial pressure created not just by war, but by the ripple effects of instability on society.
A Warning for Global Leaders: The Cost of Conflict Is Unsustainable
The report delivers a clear message to policymakers: the world is paying an unbearable price for violence. Money that could strengthen healthcare, education, climate resilience, food security, and digital infrastructure is instead being drained by conflict-related expenses.
Economists warn that without stronger international cooperation and conflict-prevention mechanisms, these costs will continue rising — pushing millions into poverty and slowing progress for decades.
At a time when countries desperately need funds to fight climate change, future pandemics, and economic inequality, the staggering Rs 1,577 trillion price tag serves as a wake-up call:
a peaceful world is not just morally important — it is economically essential.
