According to the latest report, Russia’s arms exports to India fell by a big margin of 42 per cent between 2014-18 and 2009-2013.
In 2009-13, total arms import was 76% whereas in 2014-18, it accounted for 58 per cent of total Indian arms imports. The report was released under the head “Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2018” released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
This decline in India’s import is also partly due to delays in deliveries of arms produced under license from foreign suppliers, such as combat aircraft ordered from Russia in 2001 and submarines ordered from France in 2008. Also, many see it to be in line with PM Modi’s Make in India slogan and to reduce the dependency on other countries for Arms.
Also read:Trump to seek additional $8.6 billion to build U.S-Mexico border wall
Even with this change, India was the world’s second largest importer of major arms in 2014-18 and accounted for 9.5% of the global total.
Israel, the USA and France all increased their arms exports to India in 2014-18.
Pakistan’s arms imports decreased by 39 per cent between 2009-13 and 2014-18. Interestingly and keeping in mind the present grim situation, US arms exports to Pakistan fell by 81% between 2009-13 and 2014-18. The report stated. Keeping in mind this situation, the report also added, that Pakistan was importing some arms from Turkey as well.
The five largest exporters in 2014-18 were the United States, Russia, France, Germany and China. The five largest importers were Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Australia and Algeria.
The exports of U. S’s arms grew by 29% per cent between the two periods and its share of total global exports rose from 30 to 36%.
In comparison, Russian exports of major arms decreased by 17% per cent between the same periods.
SIPRI said that the fall was partly due to general reductions in Indian and Venezuelan arms imports – two countries that have been among the main recipients of Russian arms exports in previous years.
“Although India remained the chief recipient of Russian arms in 2014-18, Russian arms exports to India fell by 42% between 2014-18 and 2009-13. Arms exports to Venezuela, which was the fifth largest recipient of Russian arms in 2009-13, decreased by 96 per cent between the two periods,” the report stated.