1. Home
  2. Current Affairs
  3. News Crux
  4. India world's largest arms importer

India world's largest arms importer

  • 14 Mar 2023

As per recent Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data, released on March 13, 2023, India remains the world's largest arms importer for the five-year period between 2018-22, even though its arms imports decreased by 11% compared to the previous period of 2013-17.

  • Russia was the largest supplier of arms to India, but its share of total Indian arms imports fell from 64% to 45%, while France emerged as the second-largest supplier.
  • India's tensions with Pakistan and China largely drive its demand for arms imports.
  • India is making efforts to diversify its arms suppliers and is working towards replacing imports with domestically produced major arms.
  • Overall, the U.S. share of global arms exports increased from 33% to 40% while Russia's fell from 22% to 16%.

SIPRI is an independent organization dedicated to research on conflict, armaments, arms control, and disarmament. Founded in 1966 in Stockholm, Sweden, SIPRI provides valuable data, analysis, and recommendations based on open sources to policymakers, researchers, media, and the public.