Lisbon, March 18, 2026 (Lusa) - Exports of goods for military use accounted for less than 1% of Portugal’s total overseas sales in 2025, although drone exports have grown significantly, representing 21%, according to a study by the Bank of Portugal.
According to the study, included in the March Economic Bulletin released this Wednesday, Portuguese exports of military-use goods accounted for less than 1% of total exports in 2024 and 2025.
While the overall weight of these exports remains marginal, the sector is expanding, notably the “rapid” growth in drone sales, which by 2025 already accounted for 21% of the total (18% in 2024).
The Bank of Portugal further said that, despite the modest scale of military-grade exports, "their growth has outpaced the total, particularly since 2022."
Between 2022 and 2025, the cumulative nominal growth of goods classified as having military applications was around 77%.
This analysis selected military-use goods into five key categories: personal protective equipment, armoured vehicles and ships, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), firearms, their components and ammunition.
The Bank of Portugal acknowledges that alternative criteria could have been applied, saying that other goods also possess military utility, such as textiles and footwear used for military uniforms.
Consequently, a broader classification (including, for example, automotive, clothing and footwear sectors) could "double this share" currently less than 1%.
In terms of product type, the largest share of exports consisted of firearms and their components (less than half of the total), followed by personal protective equipment (one-third of the total). Drone exports, non-existent in 2021, accounted for 18% of military-grade exports in 2024 and rose to 21% in 2025.
Regarding the destination countries of these exports, based on the average for the 2021–2025 period, the US was the largest buyer (accounting 41%), followed by Belgium and France (each accounting an average of 14%).
Meanwhile, exports to Ukraine accounted for 5% on average between 2021 and 2025 but rose to nearly 12% by 2025.
With the escalation of global geopolitical tensions, interest in defence purchases has increased.
At the NATO summit in June 2025, member states entered a new commitment to gradually increase annual investment in defence and related expenditure to 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2035.
IM/MYAL // AYLS
Lusa
