Friday Jun 12, 2026
Friday Jun 12, 2026
Friday, 12 June 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka has improved its standing in the 2026 Global Peace Index (GPI), climbing 14 places to rank 67th globally and securing the second position among South Asian nations, according to the latest report released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
Sri Lanka with an overall score of 1.91 in 2026 is only behind Bhutan in the South Asian region, according to the yearly study that ranks 163 independent states and territories based on their level of peacefulness.
Bhutan is ranked 16th most peaceful nation in the world. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka was ranked 97th in the world in 2025.
The improvement comes at a time when global peacefulness has deteriorated to its lowest level since the index was first published in 2007, highlighting Sri Lanka’s relative progress against a backdrop of worsening international security conditions.
The Global Peace Index measures a range of factors, including personal safety, internal and international conflict, militarisation, political stability, crime, terrorism and more.
According to the 2026 report, South Asia recorded the worst deterioration in peacefulness on the 2026 GPI, with the average overall score deteriorating by 2.3%. The region is ranked seventh of the eight GPI regions.
Five of the seven countries in the South Asian region deteriorated, with only two recording improvements. The deterioration was driven overwhelmingly by the ongoing conflict domain, which recorded the largest change at 7.1%, reflecting escalating internal conflicts and cross-border tensions across the subcontinent.
The safety and security domain was relatively stable, while the militarisation domain recorded a small average deterioration.
Bhutan which is ranked 16th globally on the 2026 GPI was ranked 69th globally in 2008. Bhutan recorded a marginal decline of 0.4%over the past year.
Despite the slight deterioration, Bhutan continues to stand out as a regional outlier, with a score significantly more peaceful than the regional average.
Sri Lanka recorded the largest percentage improvement in the region on the 2026 GPI, with its overall score improving by 2.3%. Sri Lanka’s improvement was driven by the militarisation domain, which improved by 6.4%, with the UN peacekeeping funding indicator improving by 40.8%. The safety and security domain also improved by 1.8%, driven by a 25% improvement in the political instability indicator.
Afghanistan was ranked the least peaceful country in South Asia and is ranked 157th globally on the 2026 GPI. Afghanistan recorded a marginal decline of 0.5%, though this obscures several significant shifts across the GPI indicators.
The Global Peace Index, regarded as the world’s leading measure of peacefulness, assesses 163 countries and territories covering 99.7% of the global population. The annual report provides a comprehensive analysis of peace trends, the economic impact of violence, and factors that contribute to peaceful societies.
Globally, Iceland retained its position as the most peaceful country in the world, followed by New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia and Ireland. At the opposite end of the rankings, Russia was placed last at 163rd, while Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine and Israel completed the bottom five countries.
The report paints a concerning picture of global stability, noting that peace conditions have continued to deteriorate across much of the world. A total of 99 countries recorded declines in peacefulness over the past year, the highest number since the index was launched two decades ago. Furthermore, 119 countries, representing 73% of those assessed, are now less peaceful than they were when the index was first published.
The study also found that the number of countries involved in external conflicts has nearly doubled, rising from 59 in 2008 to 103 in the 2026 index. Conflict-related deaths remain at historically high levels, with more than 181,000 people killed in 2025, representing a six-fold increase compared to 2008.
According to the report, the global economic impact of violence rose by 3.2% to $ 21.81 trillion in 2025, equivalent to 10.5% of global gross domestic product. Military expenditure worldwide reached a record $ 2.9 trillion during the year, driven largely by increased spending in Europe. Excluding the US, military expenditure grew by 9.2%.
The report also highlighted the growing role of technology in modern conflicts. Drone attacks surged by more than 11,500% between 2018 and 2025, while advances in artificial intelligence have reduced targeting times from as long as a day to just seconds.
(https://www.visionofhumanity.org/maps/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22116084622&gbraid=0AAAAADmneRYXY17Dp68ZjzhZEwdg_jblu&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlqTRBhCBARIsANrkrxhbNdXd616RhjsSBqPFotr2WrD1Or9ryVf208vs6dgbA7h9fQ7zk-4aAu8pEALw_wcB#/)
