Best estimate of actual serving strength, not authorised establishment.
| Country | Active personnel | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. China | 2,035,000 | 2024 | US DoD China Military Power Report |
| 2. India | 1,376,729 | 2024 | Indian MoD, in-position strength |
| 3. United States | 1,285,084 | 30 Sep 2025 | US Defense Manpower Data Center |
| 4. North Korea | 1,280,000 | 2022–26 | ROK MoD / IISS |
| 5. Russia | ~1,134,000 | 2025 | IISS Military Balance |
| 6. Ukraine | 800,000 | Dec 2025 | President Zelensky |
| 7. Pakistan | 660,000 | 2026 | IISS |
| 8. Iran | ~610,000 | 2025 | IISS |
| 9. Turkey | 494,500 | 2025 | NATO — but IISS gives 355,200 |
| 10. South Korea | ~450,000 | Jul 2025 | ROK MoD |
| 11. Vietnam | 450,000 | 2026 | IISS |
| 12. Egypt | 438,500 | 2026 | IISS |
| 13. Indonesia | 433,700 | 2026 | IISS |
| 14. Brazil | 376,000 | 2023 | IISS |
| 15. Thailand | 360,850 | 2026 | IISS — unchanged since 2023 |
Ranking is sensitive to source. On the NATO figure Turkey is 9th; on the IISS figure it falls to 16th, because Turkey’s Gendarmerie moved to the Interior Ministry in 2016.