Thread by @thewittynoise

#SIPRI report on Global Arms Transfers (2018-2022):

▶️ #Ukraine became the world's third-largest importer of arms in 2022

▶️ #India received 30% of France’s arms in 2018-22, surpassing the US as the second-largest supplier of weapons to New Delhi.

Key highlights🧵

@livefist

Imports of major arms by European states increased by 47 per cent between 2013–17 and 2018–22, while the global level of international arms transfers decreased by 5.1 per cent.

The United States’ share of global arms exports increased from 33 to 40 per cent while Russia’s fell from 22 to 16 per cent.

US arms exports increased by 14% between 2013–17 and 2018–22 Russia’s arms exports fell by 31% between 2013–17 & 2018–22, and its share of global arms exports decreased from 22% to 16% while France’s share increased from 7.1% to 11%.

#Russian arms exports decreased to 8 of its 10 biggest recipients between 2013–17 and 2018–22. Exports to India, the largest recipient of Russian arms, fell by 37 per cent, while exports to the other 7 decreased by an average of 59 per cent.

However, Russian arms exports increased to China (+39 per cent) and Egypt (+44 per cent), and they became Russia’s second and third largest recipients.

#France’s arms exports increased by 44 per cent between 2013–17 and 2018–22. Most of these exports were to states in Asia and Oceania and the Middle East

As a result of military aid from US and European states following #RussianUkrainianWar 2022, Ukraine became the 3rd biggest importer of major arms during 2022 (after Qatar and India). Ukraine accounted for 2% of global arms imports in the five-year period.

Asia and Oceania still the top importing region:

Asia and Oceania received 41 per cent of major arms transfers in 2018–22

Six states in the region were among the 10 largest importers globally in 2018–22: India, Australia, China, South Korea, Pakistan and Japan.

India remains the world’s top arms importer, but its arms imports declined by 11 per cent between 2013–17 and 2018–22. This decline was linked to a complex procurement process, efforts to diversify arms suppliers and attempts to replace imports with local designs.

Middle East receives high-end US and European arms:

Three of the top 10 importers in 2018–22 were in the #MiddleEast: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt. Saudi Arabia was the world’s second largest arms importer in 2018–22 and received 9.6 per cent of all arms imports in the period.

The great majority of arms imports to the Middle East came from the USA (54 per cent), followed by France (12 per cent), Russia (8.6 per cent) and Italy (8.4 per cent). They included more than 260 advanced combat aircraft, 516 new tanks and 13 frigates.

European NATO states increased their arms imports by 65 per cent as they sought to strengthen their arsenals in response to a perceived heightened threat from Russia

Among the top seven arms exporters after the USA, Russia and France, five countries saw falling arms exports—China (–23%), Germany (–35%), the United Kingdom (–35%), Spain (–4.4%) and Israel (–15%)—while two saw large increases—Italy (+45%) and South Korea (+74%).

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