New Delhi: India was the second largest arm importer in the world between 2020 and 2024, according to data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). India was next to only Ukraine, which has been engulfed in a war with Russia since February 2022.

As per the SIPRI data, released on March 10, Ukraine’s imports increased nearly 100 times over compared to 2015–19. The arms imports by European nations overall grew by 155% between the same periods, as they responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and uncertainty over the future of US foreign policy.

SIPRI is the only public resource that provides consistent information on all international transfers of major arms.

Meanwhile, India’s trade figures have decreased by 9.3% between 2015–19 and 2020–24, the report stated. The largest share of Indian arms imports, at 36%, came from Russia, although the volume was significantly smaller this time than in 2015–19 (55%) and 2010–14 (72%).

Biggest exporters and what they exported

The United States was the biggest exporter of arms, with 43% of the global share, followed by France with just 9.6% of global exports in 2020-24. Saudi Arabia (12%) was the biggest importer of US arms, followed by Ukraine (9.3%) and Japan (8.8%). 

For France, India was the biggest importer at 28%, which was almost twice the share that went to European recipient states combined (15%), the data showed. This was followed by Qatar (9.7%) and Greece (8.3%).

The US is the biggest supplier of almost every arms including combat aircraft, Combat helicopters, major warships, SAM systems, tanks and fire-support vehicles, other armoured vehicles and artillery. 

France majorly supplies combat aircrafts, artillery and other armoured vehicles, while Russia is a major exporter of tanks and fire-support vehicles.

India as an importer

Apart from Russia and France, India was also the biggest importer of arms from Israel, receiving 34% of its global share, while USA and Philippines were the other major receipients from Israel. Additionally, India also imported some arms from South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine.

According to the report, India’s tensions with China and Pakistan largely drive its arms imports. 

The report also noted that while Russia remains India’s largest exported, India has been shifting relations “towards Western suppliers”.  

“India is shifting its arms-supply relations towards Western suppliers, most notably France, Israel and the USA. Despite recent public declarations from the two sides that relations between India and Russia remain friendly, the shift is also visible in India’s new and planned orders for major arms, most of which will come from Western suppliers,” it stated.

Pakistan-China relations grow in arms

The SIPRI report also highlighted that Pakistan’s arms imports increased by 61% between 2015–19 and 2020–24 as it started receiving deliveries – including of combat aircraft and frigates – under a large-scale arms procurement programme. 

The neighbouring country accounted for 4.6% of global arms imports in 2020–24, making it the world’s fifth largest arms importer. 

China remained the largest supplier of Pakistan’s major arms imports, as it did in all five-year periods since 1990–94. In 2020-24, China supplied 81% of all of Pakistan’s arms imports, compared to 74% in 2015–19.

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