Arms salesAsia, Middle East lead rise in 2015 arms imports

Published 22 February 2016

The volume of international transfers of major weapons has grown continuously since 2004 and rose by 14 percent between 2006 and 2010 and 2011–2015, according to new data. Six of the top ten largest arms importers in the 5-year period 2011–15 are in Asia and Oceania. Arms imports by states in the Middle East rose by 61 percent between 2006 and 2010 and 2011 and 2015.

Leading countries rated by arms sales // Source: commons.wikimedia.org

The volume of international transfers of major weapons has grown continuously since 2004 and rose by 14 percent between 2006 and 2010 and 2011–2015, according to new data on international arms transfers published today by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Six of the top ten largest arms importers in the 5-year period 2011–15 are in Asia and Oceania: India (14 percent of global arms imports), China (4.7 percent), Australia (3.6 percent), Pakistan (3.3 percent), Viet Nam (2.9 percent), and South Korea (2.6 percent). Viet Nam’s arms imports rose by 699 percent. Arms imports by states in Asia and Oceania increased by 26 percent between 2006 and 2010 and 2011 and 2015, with states in the region receiving 46 per cent of global imports in 2011–15.

“China continues to expand its military capabilities with imported and domestically produced weapons,” said Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Program. “Neighbouring states such as India, Viet Nam and Japan are also significantly strengthening their military forces.”

Imports by Middle Eastern states on the increase
SIPRI reports that arms imports by states in the Middle East rose by 61 percent between 2006 and 2010 and 2011 and 2015. In 2011–15, Saudi Arabia was the world’s second largest arms importer, with an increase of 275 percent compared to 2006–10. In the same period, arms imports by the United Arab Emirates rose by 35 percent and those by Qatar went up by 279 percent. Egypt’s arms imports increased by 37 percent between 2006–10 and 2011–15, primarily due to a steep rise in 2015.

“A coalition of Arab states is putting mainly US- and European-sourced advanced arms into use in Yemen,” said Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Program. “Despite low oil prices, large deliveries of arms to the Middle East are scheduled to continue as part of contracts signed in the past five years.”

Arms exporters: the U.S. remains well ahead
With a 33 percent share of total arms exports, the United States was the top arms exporter in 2011–15. Its exports of major weapons increased by 27 percent compared to 2006–10. Russian exports of major weapons increased by 28 percent in 2006–10 and 2011–15, and Russia accounted for 25 percent of global exports in the recent 5-year period. However, in 2014 and 2015 Russian exports returned to the lower annual levels observed in 2006–10.

Chinese exports of major arms were just above those of France in 2011–15, growing by 88 percent compared to 2006–10. French exports decreased by 9.8 percent and German exports halved over the same period.

“As regional conflicts and tensions continue to mount, the United States remains the leading global arms supplier by a significant margin,” said Dr. Aude Fleurant, Director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Program. “The United States has sold or donated major arms to at least 96 states in the past five years, and the US arms industry has large outstanding export orders, including for a total of 611 F-35 combat aircraft to nine states.”

Other notable developments

  • In 2006–10 and 2011–15 imports by states in Africa increased by 19 percent. Algeria and Morocco remained the two largest arms importers in the region with a combined total of 56 percent of African imports.
  • Due to economic constraints most sub-Saharan African states imported only small volumes of arms in 2011–15, despite many being involved in armed conflicts during that period.
  • Mexico’sarms imports grew by 331 percent in 2011–15 compared with 2006–10.
  • Azerbaijanincreased its arms imports by 217 percent between 2006–10 and 2011–15.
  • Arms imports by Iraq rose by 83 percent between 2006–10 and 2011–15.
  • Franceconcluded several major arms export contracts in 2015, including the first two firm contracts for its Rafale combat aircraft.
  • Imports by states in Europe decreased by 41 percent between 2006–10 and 2011–15.

— Read more in Aude Fleurant et al., Trends in international arms transfers, 2015 (SIPRI, 2016)