iscover
Ukraine has become the world’s largest importer of major armaments during the last four years, according to new information compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The United States has increased its share of global arms exports to 43 percent, while Russia’s exports fell by 64 percent, according to new data on international arms transfers published by the Institute on March 10.
The overall volume of arms transfers globally remained at roughly the same level as in 2015 to 2019 and 2010 to 2014. In overall trends, combat aircraft remain as the main long-range strike weapon imported, while imports of long-range land-attack missiles are steadily increasing.
In addition, at least 35 states sent weapons to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and substantial further deliveries are in the pipeline with the country receiving 8.8 percent of global arms imports in 2020–24.
"The new arms transfers figures clearly reflect the rearmament taking place among states in Europe in response to the threat from Russia," said Mathew George, Programme Director with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.
"However, some major arms importers, including Saudi Arabia, India and China, saw large declines in import volumes for a variety of reasons, despite high threat perceptions in their regions."
European arms imports have grown by 155 percent between the same periods, with major suppliers including the US (64 percent), France (6.5 percent), South Korea (6.5 percent), Germany (4.7 percent) and Israel (3.9 percent).
"With an increasingly belligerent Russia and transatlantic relations under stress during the first Trump presidency, European NATO states have taken steps to reduce their dependence on arms imports and to strengthen the European arms industry," said Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.
"But the transatlantic arms-supply relationship has deep roots. Imports from the USA have risen and European NATO states have almost 500 combat aircraft and many other weapons still on order from the USA.
"The war against Ukraine has further accelerated the drop in Russia’s arms exports because more weapons are needed on the battlefield, trade sanctions make it harder for Russia to produce and sell its weapons, and the USA and its allies pressure states not to buy Russian arms.
"Two of Russia’s most important arms-trading relationships had already weakened before 2022, with India increasingly favouring other suppliers, and China sourcing more arms from its own burgeoning arms industry."
For the first time in two decades, the largest share of US arms exports in 2020–24 went to Europe (35 percent) rather than the Middle East (33 percent). The top single recipient of US arms was Saudi Arabia (12 percent of US arms exports).
"The USA is in a unique position when it comes to arms exports. At 43 per cent, its share of global arms exports is more than four times as much as the next-largest exporter, France,’ said Mathew George.
"The USA continues to be the supplier of choice for advanced long-range strike capabilities like combat aircraft."
China was the fourth largest exporter of arms in 2020–24, with 5.9 per cent of global arms exports although it is still hampered by large importers refusing to acquire Chinese arms for political reasons. China dropped out of the top ten arms importers for the first time since 1990–1994 as it further focuses on domestic production.
Four states in Asia and Oceania ranked among the 10 largest arms importers globally in 2020–24: India, Pakistan, Japan and Australia.
"While arms imports to Europe and the Middle East continue to grab media attention, Asia and Oceania remained the largest arms-importing region in the world in 2020–24, as it has been almost invariably since the early 1990s," said Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.
"Threat perceptions concerning China are behind much of the arms procurement in the region."
Middle East arms imports have dipped by 20 percent over the period, while combined arms imports of West African states almost doubled by 82 percent between 2010–14 and 2020–24.
"The growth in arms imports to West Africa has been striking. While the volume of imports remains relatively small, it has important geopolitical implications," said Katarina Djokic, Researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.
"States like Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal seem to be rapidly increasing their imports. Arms suppliers are using arms exports to boost their influence in this part of the world, including emerging suppliers—primarily Türkiye—alongside more established actors such as China, France, Russia and the USA."
Of addition interest, during the period North Korea exported artillery and missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine - violating United Nations sanctions.
