Global Arms Trade

About Global Arms Trade:

• Ukraine became the largest importer of major arms in the world during the period between 2020 and 2024, clocking a nearly 100-fold rise in imports compared with the figures for 2015–2019.
  • Ukraine received 8% of global arms imports in 2020-24.
• Four countries in Asia and Oceania—India, Pakistan, Japan, and Australia— ranked among the 10 largest arms importers globally in 2020-24.
• India was the second-largest arms importer, though the trade figures decreased by 9.3% between 2015-19 and 2020-24.
  • The largest share of Indian arms imports (36%) came from Russia, a significantly smaller share than in 2015-19 (55%) and 2010-14 (72%).
  • India was the biggest arms export destination for both Russia and France.
• TheS. further increased its share of global arms exports to 43%, while Russia’s exports fell by 64%, accounting for 7.8% of global arms exports, falling behind France (9.6%), which emerged as the second largest arms exporter in 2020-24.
• India received by far the largest share of French arms exports (28%)—almost twice the share that went to all European recipients combined (15%).
• Russia delivered major arms to 33 countries in 2020-24, of which two-thirds went to three countries — India (38%), China (17%), and Kazakhstan (11%).
• European arms imports overall grew by 155% between the same periods as the continent rearms itself.
• China dropped out of the list of top 10 arms importers for the first time since 1990-94, showcasing its expanding domestic industrial base.
• Arms imports by Pakistan grew by 61% between 2015-19 and 2020-24.
  • China became even more dominant as its supplier, accounting for 81% of Pakistan’s arms imports in 2020-24, compared with 74% in 2015–19.
• Global transfer volume: 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), as increasing imports in Europe and the Americas were offset by decreases in other regions.