The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its latest report on global arms imports and exports on March 10, 2025.

Key Findings on Arms trade

Global Arms Imports and Exports

• The overall volume of arms transfers globally remained at roughly the same level as in 2015-19 and 2010-14 (but was 18% higher than in 2005–2009).
• Increasing imports in Europe and the Americas were offset by decreases in other regions
• Ukraine became the largest arms importer, experiencing a hundred fold increase in imports compared to 2015-2019.
• India ranked as the second-largest arms importer, though its imports declined by 9.3% between 2015-2019 and 2020-2024.
• China dropped out of the top 10 arms importers for the first time since 1990-1994, reflecting its growing domestic defence industry.
• Four countries in Asia and Oceania ; India, Pakistan, Japan, and Australia ranked among the 10 largest arms importers globally in 2020-24
• Pakistan’s arms imports increased by 61% between 2015-2019 and 2020-2024.
  • China remained its dominant supplier, providing 81% of Pakistan’s arms imports.
• African arms imports fell by 44 per cent between 2015–19 and 2020–24.
• Brazil’s arms imports increased by 77 per cent between 2015–19 and 2020–24, and accounted for 49 per cent of all arms imports to South America in 2020–24.

India’s Arms Imports

• India remained the biggest arms export destination for both Russia (36%) and France (28%).
• India’s reliance on Russian arms has declined significantly:
  • 2010-2014: 72% of imports from Russia.
  • 2015-2019: 55% of imports from Russia.
  • 2020-2024: 36% of imports from Russia.
• India has signed major military contracts with France, including:
  • 36 Rafale fighter jets.
  • 6 Scorpene-class submarines.
  • Planned deals for 26 Rafale-M jets and 3 additional submarines.

Major Arms Exporters

• The United States increased its share of global arms exports to 43%.
• Russia’s arms exports declined by 64%, dropping to 7.8% of global arms exports.
• France surpassed Russia as the second-largest arms exporter with 9.6% of global share.
• Italy climbed from 10th to 6th place, holding a 4.8% share in arms exports.

Reasons for the Rise in Global Arms Trade

• European arms imports surged by 155% due to rearmament efforts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
  • Ukraine alone accounted for 8.8% of global arms imports, with 45% from the U.S., 12% from Germany, and 11% from Poland.
  • At least 35 countries supplied weapons to Ukraine since the war began.
• India continues to modernize its military, focusing on:
• • Upgrading air and naval capabilities.
  • Diversifying arms imports beyond Russia.
  • Strengthening indigenous defence production, which has slightly reduced imports.

About Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

• The SIPRI is a leading global think tank that analyzes global security, arms trade, and military expenditures.
• Established in 1966, it provides independent research on conflicts, defence policies, and arms transfers.
• Comprehensive Global Coverage: The SIPRI Arms Transfers Database is the only public resource tracking all major international arms transfers since 1950.
  • It covers sales, gifts, and licensed production between states, international organizations, and non-state groups.
• Data Accuracy and Standardization: SIPRI measures arms transfer volume, not financial value, ensuring a consistent and unbiased analysis.
• Five-Year Reporting Period: Data is reported in five-year periods to smooth out annual fluctuations in arms transfers.
  • This approach offers a more stable and reliable assessment of long-term trends in the global arms trade.
  • The SIPRI report 2025  provides insights into major arms importers and exporters for the period 2020-2024.