Military profile
Seychelles Military Strength
Seychelles is not covered by the Global Firepower ranking. It spent $28 million on its military in 2025 (1.2% of GDP).
Seychelles armed forces in numbers
Finance
- Military spending
- $28 million#149 of 156
- Military spending as % of GDP
- 1.2%#103 of 156
Equipment and personnel: Global Firepower 2023 military strength ranking (2023). Spending: World Bank / SIPRI military expenditure data (CC BY 4.0).
Seychelles military spending 2010–2025
Military spending of Seychelles grew by 297% between 2010 and 2025, from $7 million to $28 million (current US dollars), and stood at 1.2% of GDP in 2025.
Armed forces of Seychelles
Branches and forces
Seychelles People's Defense Forces (SPDF; aka Seychelles Defense Forces, SDF): Army (includes infantry, special forces, and a presidential security unit), Coast Guard, and Air Force Ministry of Internal Affairs: Seychelles Police Force (2025)
Personnel
approximately 500 active Defense Forces (2025)
Service age and conscription
18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2026)
Equipment and suppliers
the SDF is lightly armed; its inventory consists of obsolescent armaments delivered in the 1970s and 1980s and some more recently donated equipment from Bahrain, China, India, and UAE (2025)
Good to know
formed in 1977, the SDF is one of the World's smallest militaries; its primary responsibility is maritime security, including countering illegal fishing, piracy, and drug smuggling; it was given police powers in 2022; the Seychelles maintains close security ties with India, which has provided support to the SDF's maritime security operations (2025)
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
2024: 1.5% · 2023: 1.6% · 2022: 1.4% · 2021: 1.5% · 2020: 1.6%
Forces and service: CIA World Factbook (public domain).