Kazakhstan boosts defence spending with focus on drones, air defence

Kazakhstan has increased its defence spending to 1% of GDP for 2026, with a strong emphasis on modernising military capabilities, particularly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and air defence systems.

Speaking on the sidelines of parliament, Deputy Defence Minister Askar Mustabekov said the additional funding would primarily be used to procure new military equipment and upgrade existing systems, Caliber.Az reports via Kazakhstani media.

He noted that investment would be directed towards the development and acquisition of drones, alongside the modernisation of aviation assets and the purchase of air defence hardware.

Total spending on the broader security sector is set to reach three trillion tenge in 2026, an increase of 335 billion tenge compared with the current year.

Officials say the funds will support not only operational readiness but also longer-term structural reforms within the armed forces.

By Aghakazim Guliyev