Portugal Boosts Defense Investments Amid Global Tensions

Portugal is set to allocate 3.1% of its GDP to defense and dual-use investments in 2023, announced Prime Minister Luis Montenegro at a NATO summit in Turkey. Direct defense accounts for 2.1%, while dual-use infrastructure such as telecommunications and energy will receive 1% of GDP.

Portugal is gearing up to allocate a substantial 3.1% of its GDP to defense and dual-use investments this year, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro revealed at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey on Wednesday.

According to the Prime Minister, direct defense spending will account for 2.1% of the GDP, while strategic investments in dual-use infrastructure such as telecommunications and energy would take up 1% of the GDP.

Last year, Lisbon surpassed the NATO target by raising its defense budget to over €6 billion, which equates to 2.1% of its GDP. This marked a significant increase from the €4.48 billion or 1.58% of GDP in 2024, according to NATO estimates.