Foreign
Check Out The Top 10 Countries with the Weakest Military in the World In 2026 Rankings
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The 2026 Global Firepower Index ranks the 10 weakest militaries in the world, with Bhutan, Belize and the Central African Republic recording the highest PowerIndex scores among 145 nations assessed.
Global military strength remains uneven, with wide gaps between major powers and smaller or conflict-affected states. The 2026 Global Firepower Index ranks 145 countries using more than 60 indicators, including manpower, equipment, defence spending, logistical capacity, geography and resource access.
Under the index methodology, a lower PowerIndex score indicates stronger military capability, while a higher score reflects weaker overall capacity. The following ten countries recorded the highest PowerIndex scores in 2026, placing them at the bottom of the global military strength rankings.
10 Countries with the Weakest Military in the World
10. Moldova
Rank: #136
PowerIndex: 3,6225

Moldova Military Force
Moldova ranks 136th out of 145 countries, with a PowerIndex score of 3.6225. The Eastern European nation maintains a relatively small and lightly equipped military force. Limited defence funding has slowed modernisation efforts, affecting procurement and force expansion. Moldova’s defence posture remains largely defensive, with emphasis on territorial integrity rather than expeditionary capability.
9. Somalia
Rank: #137
PowerIndex: 3.7393

Somalia Military Force
Somalia places 137th with a PowerIndex score of 3.7393. Years of internal conflict have significantly constrained the country’s defence institutions and operational capacity. Although international partnerships and training missions have supported rebuilding efforts, Somalia’s armed forces continue to face structural and resource limitations.
8. Benin
Rank: #138
PowerIndex: 3.8963

Benin Military Force
Benin ranks 138th globally, posting a PowerIndex score of 3.8963. The West African country maintains a modest military establishment focused primarily on internal security and border protection. Rising instability in parts of the Sahel region has influenced greater attention to defence preparedness, though overall capacity remains limited.
7. Kosovo
Rank: #139
PowerIndex: 3.8041
Kosovo Military Force
Kosovo occupies the 139th position with a PowerIndex score of 3.8041. Having formally established its armed forces in 2019, the country remains in the early stages of building a fully structured military institution. Development efforts have focused on training, professionalisation and gradual capability expansion.
6. Sierra Leone
Rank: #140
PowerIndex: 3.9201

Sierra Leone Military Force
Sierra Leone ranks 140th with a PowerIndex score of 3.9201. Its military remains relatively small and constrained by limited funding. More than two decades after the end of its civil war in 2002, the country continues to prioritise stability and institutional rebuilding, with defence capacity evolving gradually.
5. Liberia
Rank: #141
PowerIndex: 3.9275

Liberia Military Force
Liberia stands at 141st globally, recording a PowerIndex score of 3.9275. Similar to neighbouring Sierra Leone, Liberia’s armed forces are modest in size and equipment. The country has focused on rebuilding national institutions following prolonged periods of conflict, resulting in a lean defence structure.
4. Suriname
Rank: #142
PowerIndex: 4.0538

Suriname Military Force
Suriname ranks 142nd with a PowerIndex score of 4.0538. The South American nation maintains a small defence force with limited manpower and equipment inventories. Its relatively stable regional environment reduces immediate external security pressures, shaping a defence model that is compact rather than expansive.
3. Central African Republic
Rank: #143
PowerIndex: 4.2381

Central African Republic Military Force
The Central African Republic places 143rd with a PowerIndex score of 4.2381. Persistent internal security challenges have strained the country’s defence institutions and operational capabilities. External support and partnerships have played a significant role in maintaining security functions amid ongoing instability.
2. Belize
Rank: #144
PowerIndex: 4.3602

Belize Military Force
Belize ranks 144th globally with a PowerIndex score of 4.3602, making it the second weakest military power in the 2026 index. The Belize Defence Force is one of the smallest in its region, with limited manpower and equipment. However, Belize benefits from relative geopolitical stability and established relationships with larger regional partners.
1. Bhutan
Rank: #145
PowerIndex: 5.7991

Bhutan Military Force
Bhutan occupies the final position at 145th, recording the highest PowerIndex score of 5.7991. The Himalayan kingdom maintains a small volunteer-based army and does not operate a significant air force. Bhutan’s defence posture is shaped by its strategic reliance on close security cooperation with India for external defence support. The gap between Bhutan’s score and that of the next weakest nation reflects a markedly lower overall military capability compared to other ranked states.
Conclusion
Military strength, as measured by the Global Firepower Index, extends beyond troop numbers. Economic resilience, logistics networks, equipment diversity, natural resources and geographic positioning all contribute to overall ranking outcomes. Countries with limited defence budgets or post-conflict rebuilding priorities often score higher on the PowerIndex, reflecting constrained capability rather than immediate vulnerability.
Several of the countries listed operate within relatively stable regional environments or maintain defence partnerships that help offset limited domestic capacity. In some cases, smaller militaries align with national policy choices that prioritise internal stability, diplomacy or economic development over military expansion.
The 2026 Global Firepower Index underscores the wide disparity in global military capability. While Moldova, Somalia, Benin, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Suriname, the Central African Republic, Belize and Bhutan rank at the bottom based on their PowerIndex scores, their security realities differ significantly.
For some, limited military strength reflects economic constraints or post-conflict rebuilding. For others, it aligns with strategic decisions shaped by geography and alliances. The rankings provide a comparative snapshot of defence capacity, but they also highlight that military power is only one dimension of national resilience and security.
Foreign
Pregnant Woman Dies By Suicide After Husband Allegedly Demanded DNA Test For Unborn Child
A 23-year-old pregnant woman allegedly died by suicide after her husband reportedly demanded a DNA test for her unborn child, leading to the arrest of the man and his mother in India’s Telangana state.
The incident occurred in Gadipeddapur village in Alladurg mandal of Medak district, where the victim, identified as G. Sushmita, was found hanging at her home on the evening of June 25. She was five months pregnant.
Police arrested Sushmita’s husband, G. Abhilash, and his mother, Laxmi, on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
“We arrested her husband G. Abhilash and his mother Laxmi. They were produced before the magistrate and remanded to judicial custody,” Alladurg Sub-Inspector D. Shankar said.
According to a police complaint filed by Sushmita’s mother, G. Janabai, her daughter had been subjected to prolonged physical and emotional abuse during her marriage, with the husband’s alleged demand for a DNA test significantly worsening her distress.
Sushmita, a native of Mothkupally village in Vikarabad district, had been married to Abhilash, a bangle seller from Gadipeddapur, for about 18 months.
Janabai told police that on June 23, she and her husband visited the couple’s home to discuss arrangements for Sushmita’s upcoming baby shower ceremony. During the visit, Abhilash allegedly questioned the paternity of the unborn child and demanded a DNA test in the presence of both families.
According to the complaint, the incident led to an argument before community elders intervened. Janabai alleged that the accusation caused her daughter immense humiliation and emotional trauma, with family members claiming the suspicion cast on her character had a devastating impact on her mental well-being.
Two days later, on June 25, Sushmita was found dead at her residence. Villagers later informed her parents of the incident.
Her mother further alleged that continuous harassment by both her husband and mother-in-law drove Sushmita to take her own life.
Based on the complaint, Alladurg police registered a case on June 26 under Sections 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives), 108 (abetment of suicide), read with Section 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Following a post-mortem examination, Sushmita’s body was handed over to her family. Police said investigations into the case are ongoing.
Foreign
Trump Shades Obama As He Shares Their Throwback Photos
U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked fresh online discussion after sharing side-by-side photos of himself and former President Barack Obama from their younger years, just days after Obama joked that he still occupies space in Trump’s thoughts.Trump posted the images on his Truth Social account on Saturday, June 27.
The post followed an AI-generated image of himself holding the Earth while carrying an American flag over his shoulder, as well as a photograph from a recent UFC event held outside the White House.
The side-by-side image featured a photo of Trump during his years at the New York Military Academy next to a picture of Obama at Occidental College, showing the former president wearing a wide-brimmed hat and smoking a cigarette. Obama has previously spoken publicly about his long struggle to quit smoking after picking up the habit as a teenager.
Trump captioned the images, “D. Trump, 20” and “B.H. Obama, 18.” However, the age listed for Trump quickly drew criticism, with his niece and outspoken critic, Mary Trump, noting that he graduated from the New York Military Academy in 1964 at age 17, suggesting the caption may have been inaccurate.
Although Trump did not explain the reason for posting the photos, many social media users viewed the comparison as a response to comments Obama made earlier this week during an appearance on the All the Smoke podcast.
Speaking on the podcast, Obama joked that Trump remains preoccupied with him years after he left office.
“The obsession,” Obama said. “I obviously have a room in his head. A suite in his head. When I was president, the last thing I had time to do was worry about what somebody said or what my predecessor did. They’re gone. I’ve got work to do.”
Obama also claimed that Trump rarely directs such criticism toward him in person.
The latest exchange adds another chapter to the long-running political rivalry between the two leaders. Trump has frequently criticized Obama during campaign rallies and on social media, while in recent weeks he has also shared AI-generated images mocking the former president, including one depicting Obama’s presidential center as a dumpster.
Neither Trump nor Obama has publicly commented further on the latest social media post.
Foreign
Trump threatens to annihilate Iran after new exchange of attacks
Tehran said Sunday it carried out a third day of retaliatory strikes against US attacks on Iranian territory, as both accused the other of violating their fragile ceasefire, straining negotiations meant to end the Middle East war.
The exchanges underscored the fragility of a Pakistan-brokered peace process aimed at ending a war launched by the United States and Israel in February, which disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and rattled global energy markets.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday they were taking measures to control traffic in the vital Strait of Hormuz and that violating vessels would be dealt with more firmly than before.
The only authorised passage by Tehran passes through a corridor running along Iran’s coast.
The Guards said they had also carried out retaliatory strikes in Kuwait and Bahrain.
In a statement, they said the strikes “destroyed eight important US military facilities at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and at the Fifth Fleet naval base in Port Salman in Bahrain”.
“Any enemy aggression, whatever the pretext, even against insignificant targets… will have a crushing response,” the Guards said.
Air raid sirens rang out twice in Bahrain on Sunday, according to the Gulf nation’s interior ministry.
A memorandum of understanding was reached in mid-June under Pakistan’s mediation, aimed at putting a lasting end to the war.
The text signed by the United States and Iran said both countries, and their respective allies, were “not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other”.
– Iran would ‘no longer exist’ –
US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran would “no longer exist” if the United States is “forced” to resume the war.
The threat came after US forces said they struck “multiple” Iranian targets Saturday in another tit-for-tat response to attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” Trump wrote.
– Shipping lanes under fire –
US Central Command said Saturday’s strikes were in response to an Iranian drone attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker “Kiku,” which was carrying some two million barrels of crude.
The US military said its operation targeted “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities”.
Iranian media reported several explosions in the Sirik and Qeshm areas of southern Iran.
Washington had carried out similar strikes on Friday, saying they were a response to an earlier Iranian attack on another vessel, the “Ever Lovely”.
Israel, meanwhile, launched strikes in Lebanon as Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem rejected a deal to end that conflict, which has also threatened to derail the wider US-Iran peace effort.
Iran called “these brutal attacks… a blatant violation” of the interim truce deal.
Iran has warned vessels not to enter or leave the Gulf through the strait without permission, but ships have continued to move, some using a route not authorised by Tehran.
In the memorandum of understanding Iran had previously agreed “safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge, for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa” in the strait.
H.A. Hellyer, of London think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said “Iran is likely to continue calibrated, low-level coercive activity in and around the Strait of Hormuz… to create persistent pressure on international shipping without triggering a wider conflict.”
He said November’s US midterm elections for Congress give Washington “incentives for a quicker agreement” while, for Iran, “a drawn-out negotiation accompanied by controlled pressure in the strait can work to its advantage”.
– Lebanon threats –
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war in early March, when militant group Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in support of Iran. That provoked an Israeli invasion and fighting that has also undermined the US-Iran ceasefire.
Israel and Lebanon signed an agreement on Friday supported by the US aimed at securing long-term peace between the two countries.
Hezbollah’s chief Qassem rejected the deal a day later, calling it “humiliating, shameful and a surrender of sovereignty.”
He instead called for the full implementation of Washington’s deal with Tehran, which includes an end to the fighting in Lebanon.
Hezbollah has repeatedly called for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, but the Washington deal does not appear to provide for that.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted Israeli troops will remain in the so-called security zone they occupy in southern Lebanon, with civilians prevented from returning until Hezbollah is disarmed.
The Israeli premier called the deal historic on Saturday and “a blow to Iran and Hezbollah.”
But Netanyahu’s far-right security minister Itamar Ben Gvir denounced it as “a big mistake” and insisted that only Israeli forces were capable of disarming Hezbollah.
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