India remains world's top importer of arms supplies

The country's demand for military hardware is driven by territorial disputes with Pakistan and China

India remained the world’s largest arms importer for the five-year period between 2018 and 2022. AP

India remained the world’s largest arms importer for the five-year period between 2018 and 2022, with Russia being its biggest supplier, a new report has found.

The Swedish Think Tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute released the latest data on international arms transfers and said Russia was the biggest arms supplier to New Delhi, while France emerged as the second largest supplier, displacing the US.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Australia and China followed New Delhi in the global import list.

India’s demand for military hardware is driven by territorial disputes with Pakistan and China.

The imports by Pakistan, the world's eighth-largest arms importer during the 2018-22 period, increased by 14 per cent, with China as its main supplier, the report said.

India’s imports declined by 11 per cent between 2013-17 and 2018-22, the report said.

“This decline was linked to a complex procurement process, efforts to diversify arms suppliers and attempts to replace imports with local designs,” the report said.

The United States, Russia, France, China and Germany were the top global arms exporters.

Russia accounted for 45 per cent of India's weapons imports, down from a high of 64 per cent, followed by 29 per cent from France and 11 per cent from the US.

“India’s arms imports from France, which included 62 combat aircraft and four submarines, increased by 489 per cent between 2013—17 and 2018—22. France therefore displaced the USA to become the second largest supplier to India in 2018—22,” the report said.

The report also found that Ukraine became the third largest importer of major arms in 2022, following its invasion by Russia.

“As a result of military aid from the US and many European states following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine became the 3rd biggest importer of major arms during 2022 … Ukraine accounted for 2.0 per cent of global arms imports in the five-year period,” it said.

Russia's arms exports have suffered after Ukraine invasion as the US and Europe toughened sanctions on its arms manufacturers, while the conflict has consumed vast amounts of military hardware, delaying some planned exports.

The report said global arms exports topped $2.1 trillion in 2022, an all time record high.