SIPRI released Trends in International Arms Transfers 2014 report

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on 16 March 2015 released Trends in International Arms Transfers 2014 report.

According to it, India is the world's largest importer of weapons and military equipment, accounting for 15 percent of global imports, with Russia being its majority supplier.

Highlights of the Report

• The volume of transfers of major weapons in 2010–14 was 16 percent higher than in 2005– 2009.

• The five biggest exporters in 2010–14 were the USA, Russia, China, Germany and France. Together, they accounted for 74 percent of the volume of arms exports. Combined, the USA and Russia supplied 58 percent of all exports.

• China replaced Germany as the third largest arms exporter in 2010–14, in 2005–2009 China was ranked ninth.

• Total exports from all EU member states in 2010–14 were 16 percent lower than in 2005–2009; in 2005–2009 EU export volumes were higher than those for the USA or Russia, while in 2010–14 they were below US and Russian export totals.

• The five biggest importers in 2010–14 were India, Saudi Arabia, China, the UAE and Pakistan. Together, they received 33 percent of all arms imports.

• The main recipient region in 2010–14 was Asia and Oceania (accounting for 48 percent of imports), followed by the Middle East (22 percent), Europe (12 percent), the Americas (10 percent) and Africa (9 percent).

• Between 2005–2009 and 2010–14, arms imports by states in Africa increased by 45 percent, Asia and Oceania by 37 percent, the Middle East by 25 percent and the Americas by 7 percent. Imports by states in Europe decreased by 36 percent.

India: The largest importer of arms

• India was the largest importer of major arms in 2010–14, accounting for 15 percent of the global total. Between 2005–2009 and 2010–14 imports increased by 140 percent.

• In 2010–14 India’s imports were three times larger than those of its regional rivals China and Pakistan.

• This contrasts with 2005–2009 when India’s imports were 23 percent below China’s and just over double those of Pakistan.

• India has so far failed to produce competitive indigenous-designed weapons and remains dependent on imports.

• In 2010–14 Russia supplied 70 percent of India’s arms imports, the USA 12 percent and Israel 7 percent. The acquisitions from the USA are a break with the recent past.

• Prior to 2005–2009 India barely received any major weapons from the USA. However, there now appears to be an upward trend in arms imports from the USA. Imports in 2010–14 were 15 times higher than in 2005–2009 and included advanced weapons such as anti-submarine warfare aircraft. In 2014 additional deals with the USA were agreed, including for 22 combat helicopters.

About SIPRI

SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public.