‘India was the top arms importer in 20192023’
India was the top arms importer in the world in the period 201923, with imports having gone up by 4.7% compared with the period 201418, according to Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
At the same time, arms imports by European countries increased by 94% between 201418 and 201923, the report said, which comes against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.
“Although Russia remained India’s main arms supplier [accounting for 36% of its arms imports], this was the first fiveyear period since 196064 when deliveries from Russia [or the Soviet Union prior to 1991] made up less than half of India’s arms im
The U.S. has increased its global role as an arms supplier, exporting more arms to more countries than it has ever done.
ports,” as per new data on international arms transfers from SIPRI released on Monday. “Nine of the 10 biggest arms importers in 201923, including the top three of India, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, were in Asia and Oceania or the West Asia. Ukraine became the fourth biggest arms importer after it received transfers of major arms in 202223.”
In the interim Budget presented in February for financial year 202425, the
total allocation for the Defence Ministry was ₹6.2 lakh crore, of which the capital allocation for new procurements was ₹1.72 lakh crore, 5.78% higher than the Budget Estimates of last year. India seems to have come back to the top slot in arms imports after briefly ceding space to Saudi Arabia in the past.
Imports of Pakistan, the fifth largest arms importer in 201923, went up by 43%, with China supplying as much as 82% of all its arms imports.
Arms exports by the world’s largest supplier, the U.S., grew by 17% between 201418 and 201923, while those by Russia fell by more than half. France emerged as the world’s second largest arms supplier as its exports grew by 47%.
Europe’s capacity
Over half of arms imports by European countries, 55%, in 201923 were from the U.S., up from 35% in 201418. “Europe is responsible for about a third of global arms exports, including large volumes going outside the region, reflecting Europe’s strong militaryindustrial capacity,” said SIPRI Director Dan Smith.
In this regard, Mathew George, Director of the SIPRI arms transfers programme, said the U.S. had increased its global role as an arms supplier — an important aspect of its foreign policy — exporting more arms to more countries than it has ever done in the past.
On France, which is now the second largest arms supplier, the report said 42% of its arms went to states in Asia and Oceania, and 34% to West Asia. “The largest single recipient of French arms exports was India, which accounted for nearly 30%. The increase in French arms exports was largely due to deliveries of combat aircraft to India, Qatar and Egypt,” the report stated.
“With many highvalue arms on order — including nearly 800 combat aircraft and combat helicopters — European arms imports are likely to remain at a high level,” said Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI arms transfers programme.