Huge decline in arms imports from Russia in 2017-21, increased 10 times from this country – SIPRI
Huge drop in arms imports from Russia – report
Russia’s share in arms imports into India was 69 per cent between 2012-17, which has come down to 46 per cent between 2017-21. This has been claimed in a report released by a Stockholm-based defense think-tank SIPRI on Monday. According to this report, ‘India’s arms imports decreased by 21 percent between 2012-16 and 2017-21. Despite this, India was the largest arms importer in the world in 2017-21 and accounted for 11 per cent of the total arms imports in the world during this period.
Economic sanctions imposed on Russia after the attack on Ukraine
Russia was the largest supplier of heavy arms to India during both the period 2012-16 and 2017-21. However, a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) claimed that Russian arms supplies to India declined by 47 per cent during these two periods as several major Russian weapons programs were closed. Huh. Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, after which the US and its allies in the West have imposed very strict economic sanctions against it.
Weapons imports from France increased 10 times – report
According to the report, India has also tried to expand its arms supplier base, due to which Russia’s share in total arms imports has come down. In contrast, arms imports from France increased 10 times, making it India’s second largest arms supplier during 2017-21. The report also said that India has a detailed plan to import weapons due to growing threats from China and Pakistan and significant delays in production of its critical weapons.
Shock to Russia in global arms exports
Between 2012-16 and 2017-21, Russia’s global arms exports declined by 26 per cent and its share in global arms exports declined from 24 per cent to 19 per cent. It has been said in this report that in 2017-21, Russia delivered large weapons to 45 countries. Unlike the US in 2017-21, 73 per cent of Russia’s arms exports remained confined to four countries namely India, China, Egypt and Algeria. According to it, “the overall reduction in Russian arms exports during 2012-16 and 2017-21 was almost entirely due to reduction in arms exports to India (-47%) and Vietnam (-71%) .’
Arms exports from Russia to China increased by 60 percent
The report also said that several arms import agreements with India in the last 10 years were completed by the end of 2021. But there are still pending deliveries of large weapons coming from Russia, including 8 air defense systems, 4 warships and a nuclear powered submarine. Meanwhile, arms exports from Russia to China have increased by 60 percent and Egypt by 723 percent and they have become its second and third arms importers respectively, but still the global arms supply from Russia has decreased. Yes, it hasn’t been reimbursed. Between 2017-21, both China and Egypt have received air defense systems and fighter aircraft from Russia.
India included in 5 big arms importers
SIPRI has identified 163 countries as the largest arms purchasers between 2017-21. Of these, five major arms importers are India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia and China, which have supplied 38 per cent of global arms exports during this period.
