India ranks 2nd largest importer of Arms in past 5 years

International arms exports grew by 5.5 per cent from the 2010-2014 periods

• India was the second-largest arms importer in the world over the past five years, with its neighbor Pakistan ranking 11th
• The report says that Russia is the largest supplier to the Indian market between 2015 and 2019
• The report also says that the top 5 arms importers in the world include Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Australia and China

Key findings of the report by SIPRI

• US grew by 23 per cent, raising its share of total global arms exports to 36 per cent and between 2015 and 2019, the US delivered major arms to 96 countries
• Half of US arms exports went to the Middle East, and half of that to Saudi Arabia, the world’s number one importer of major arms
• The kingdom’s arms imports jumped by 130 percent from the 2010-2014 period, and it was on the receiving end of 12 per cent of global major arms transfers in 2015 to 2019
• The wide-ranging concerns in the UK and the US about Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen, both countries continued to export arms to Saudi Arabia
• Arms transfers from the second largest exporter, Russia, decreased by 18 percent, largely due to a drop in sales to India
• Arms imports to India, which used to be the world’s largest importer, decreased by 32 per cent and imports by bitter rival Pakistan fell 39 per cent
• Both nuclear powers “have long-standing aims to produce their own major arms”, but “remain largely dependent on imports
• Exports of French arms saw one of the most dramatic increases—up 72 per cent from the five previous years
• France ahead of Germany as the third largest exporter in the world, with 7.9 per cent of global exports
• Over half of France’s arms exports were to Egypt, Qatar and India, with deliveries of the Rafale combat aircraft to these countries

Highlights of India’s status

• India was the second-largest arms importer in the world over the past five years, with its neighbor Pakistan ranking 11th
• As in previous years, in 2019 India and Pakistan—which are nuclear-armed states—attacked each other using an array of imported major arms
• Many of the world’s largest arms exporters have supplied these two states for decades, often exporting arms to both sides
• However, quantitatively arms imports to India decreased by 32 per cent, and imports by Pakistan fell 39 per cent
• According to the report, major arms exports by Russia decreased by 18 per cent between 2010–14 and 2015–19 given that the country has lost traction in India
• The main long-term recipient of Russian major arms and this decrease was not offset by the increase in Russian arms exports to Egypt and Iraq in 2015–19
• With Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Mauritius as main clients, India now ranks 23rd in the exporter list, a slight increase from earlier

What is SIPRI?

• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is an international institute based in Sweden, 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. SIPRI is based in Stockholm
• SIPRI’s organization consists of a Governing Board, Director, Deputy Director, Research Staff Collegiums and support staff. An Advisory Committee serves as a consultative body to the Institute
• The Governing Board takes decisions on important matters concerning the research agenda, activities, organization and financial administration of the Institute. Other matters are decided by the Director

Pic courtesy : Times of India