India world’s 2nd largest importer of major arms: SIPRI report

SWEDEN - India was the world’s second largest importer of major arms in 2014-18 and accounted for 9.5 per cent of the global total, the Radio Pakistan reported.

India has been among the top five arms importers in the world for decades.

A Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released the data in their annual report titled ‘Trends in International Arms Transfers-2018’. The assessment was done for a five-year period (2014-2018). Russia accounted for 58 per cent of Indian arms imports in 2014–18, compared with 76 per cent in 2009–13.

https://twitter.com/SIPRIorg/status/1104985331093377025

Israel, the US and France all increased their arms exports to India in 2014-18.

According to the report, India signed several big deals with Russia recently and more are in the pipeline. These include S-400 air defence systems, four stealth frigates, AK 203 assault rifles, a second nuclear submarine on lease, and deals of Kamov 226T utility helicopters, MI 17 helicopters and a short-range air defence system.

For the period 2013-2017, India accounted for 13 per cent of all imports and was the world’s largest importer.