The Uzbek army proved to be stronger than the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Belarus.

According to the Global Firepower ranking released on January 10, 2025, Uzbekistan has shown significant progress in defense, moving up seven spots to rank 58th among 145 evaluated countries. Last year, the republic held the 65th position. Despite this positive trend, Uzbekistan has not yet surpassed Kazakhstan, which is ranked 57th, maintaining its leadership among Central Asian nations.

The Global Firepower ranking, which annually assesses the military capabilities of countries worldwide, takes into account more than 50 factors, including the number of military equipment, personnel strength, financial resources, geographical location, and logistical capabilities. The rise in Uzbekistan's position reflects the ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces and strengthen the nation's defense capabilities.

Other Central Asian countries are also represented in the ranking. Turkmenistan occupies the 77th position, Kyrgyzstan is at 105th, and Tajikistan is at 108th. The United States remains the leader of the ranking, while Bhutan is at the bottom of the list. It is noteworthy that the Uzbek army ranked higher than Azerbaijan (60th place) and Belarus (70th place).

Experts point out that the Global Firepower ranking provides only a general assessment of military potential and does not capture all the nuances related to the actual combat readiness of armies. Nonetheless, the trends in the rankings allow for monitoring the development of their armed forces. In the case of Uzbekistan, the positive momentum in recent years indicates the republic's commitment to enhancing its security and stability in the region. Further analysis of the ranking data will enable a more detailed evaluation of the effectiveness of military reforms in Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries.