India emerges as world's largest importer of arms, Pakistan's import goes down

India has emerged as the largest importer of major arms according to a latest research released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published on Monday. According to the study, India became the world’s largest importer of major arms in 2013-17 accounting for 12 per cent of the total global import.

The study said that there has been significant increase of 24 per cent in India’s weapon import between 2008-12 and 2013-17. The country that accounts for the maximum arms import of India is Russia with 62 per cent.

However, the rise in arms import from the US has been significant during the 2013-17 period. Imports from the country increased by as much as 557 per cent, making America the second largest arms supplier to India.

About Pakistan, the report said that the country’s arms imports went down by 36 per cent between 2008–12 and 2013–17. The study said, “Pakistan accounted for 2.8 per cent of global arms imports in 2013–17. Its arms imports from the USA dropped by 76 per cent in 2013–17 compared with 2008–12.”

According to Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme, the tension in recent past with both Pakistan and China have led to the increase in growing demands of weapon, which India does not produce itself.

The study further said that China has increasingly been becoming capable of producing its own weapons, and maintaining itself as a supplier in the region by maintaining good relations with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The US emerged as the world’s top exporter of weapons accounting for 34 per cent of global arms sales in the last five years, according to the study. Russia accounted for 20 per cent of the export ranking second in the list. The US share of arms sales has gone up from 30 per cent recorded in the 2008-12 period.