SIPRI: Trends in International Arms Transfers 2022, Report

India was the world’s largest arms importer between 2018 and 2022, accounting for 11 per cent of global imports, according to fresh data released by the Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Highlights

• The volume of international transfers of major arms in 2018 22 was 5.1 per cent lower than in 2013-17 and 4.8 per cent higher than in 2008-12.
• The five largest arms exporters in 2018-22 were the United States, Russia, France, China and Germany. Together, they supplied 76 per cent of the world’s arms exports in 2018-22
• US arms exports accounted for 40 per cent of the global total in 2018-22 and were 14 per cent higher than in 2013-17.
• The five largest arms importers in 2018-22, India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Australia and China, together received 36 per cent of the world’s arms imports.

India

• With an 11 per cent share of total global arms imports, India was the world’s biggest importer of major arms in 2018-22, a position it has held for the period 1993-2022
• Russia was the largest supplier of arms to India in both 2013-17 and 2018-22.