LAHORE: A report released by Stockholm International Research Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed Pakistani arms imports dropped 36 percent between 2008-2012 and 2013-17.
According to SIPRI’s press release on its website, Pakistan accounted for 2.7 percent of global arms imports during 2013-17. Arm imports from USA during the above-mentioned period slumped by 76 percent compared to 2008-2013.
Pakistan remained the largest recipient of Chinese arms imports during 2013-17, SIPRI revealed.
Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme said “The tensions between India, on the one side, and Pakistan and China, on the other, are fuelling India’s growing demand for major weapons, which it remains unable to produce itself,’ said. ‘China, by contrast, is becoming increasingly capable of producing its own weapons and continues to strengthen its relations with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar through arms supplies.”
And Pakistan’s arch nemesis India was the largest importer of arms during 2013-17, accounting for 12 percent of global arm imports. Russian arm imports to India rose by 62 percent during 2013-17 but US arm imports surged 557 percent from 2008-2012 and 2013-2017.
Indian arm imports clocked a 24 percent rise between 2008-2012 and 2013-2017, reported SIPRI.
Global arm imports into the Middle East have doubled in the last decade, said SIPRI. Arm imports by nations in the Middle East surged 103 percent between 2008-12 and 2013-17, accounting for 32 percent of global arm imports during 2013-17.
During 2013-17, Saudi Arabia remained the world’s second largest arms importers, with imports surging 225 percent compared with 2008-12.
On the export front, US consolidated its lead by constituting for 34 percent of total arm exports globally.
SIPRI stated “US arms exports in 2013–17 were 58 per cent higher than those of Russia—the second largest arms exporter in that period. The USA supplied major arms to 98 states in 2013–17. Exports to states in the Middle East accounted for 49 per cent of total US arms exports in that period.”
Over 98 countries were recipients of major arm exports from the USA during 2013-17. Arm exports from the US to Middle Eastern countries constituted 49 percent of its total arm export in 2013-17.
Russian arm exports exhibited a decline of 7.1 percent during 2008-12 and 2013-17, followed by France whose arms exports rose by 27 percent during the above-mentioned periods and was the largest arms exporter globally during 2013-17.
Germany’s arm exports, which remained the world’s fourth largest exporter of arms during 2013-17, witnessed declines of 14 percent between 2008-12 and 2013-17.
However, its arms exports to the Middle East ratcheted up 109 percent during the above-mentioned period.
China was ranked fifth in terms of global arm exports during 2013-17. Its arm exports exhibited a rise of 38 percent during 2008-12 and 2013-17.
Chinese arm exports to Bangladesh and Algeria exhibited major increases during the aforementioned period. Israel arm exports went up by 55 percent, South Korea’s 55 percent and Turkey surged 145 percent during 2008-12 and 2013-17.
Overall arm imports by countries in Africa fell by 22 percent between 2008-12 and 2013-17. During 2013-17, China accounted for arms imports by Myanmar, followed by Russia 15 percent.
European countries arm imports declined by 22 percent between 2008-12 and 2013-17. SIPRI said deliveries of advanced combat aircraft from the US would fuel import volumes in the coming few years.
