India remains world's top arms importer: SIPRI report

The five largest arms exporters were the United States, Russia, France, China and Germany

India remains the world’s top arms importer between 2018-2022 despite the Narendra Modi government’s push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing, says Stockholm International Peace Research (SIPRI) in its latest report after tracking arms sales around the world.

As India accounts for 11 per cent of the world arms’ import followed by Saudi Arabia (9.6 per cent) and Qatar (6.4), the SIPRI report also depicts the rise of French companies as key suppliers with Paris displacing Washington as the second biggest supplier of arms to New Delhi.

Russia continues to be India’s numero uno provider of military hardware, but its share in total Indian arms imports fell from 64 per cent to 45 per cent between the two time frames.

Moscow’s position is under pressure due to strong competition from other supplier states, enhanced local production and, since 2022, constraints due to Russia invasion of Ukraine, because of which there is a higher priority to equip the Russian army.

Also read | Defence procurement from foreign sources reducing: Government

Meanwhile, France expanded its reach delivering major arms to 62 states. The three largest recipients —India, Qatar and Egypt — together received 55 per cent of French arms exports and with a 30 per cent share, India was by far the largest recipient of French arms including fighter jets and submarines in 2018–22.

India’s arms imports from France, which included 62 combat aircraft and 4 submarines, increased by 489 per cent between 2013–17 and 2018–22. France displaced the USA to become the second largest supplier to India in 2018–22.

The list of French combat aircraft includes two squadrons of Rafale and 26 Mirage-2000 fighter jets.

“These include two ex-French air force Mirage-2000D in 2022, the first of 13 Mirage-2000C/D ordered in 2021. The other 24 are Indian Mirage-2000H aircraft rebuilt to Mirage-2000-5 version. The rebuilding was done in India with kits from France. They are included in our data as new supplies from France since the original Indian Mirage-2000H were modified to such extent that they became de facto new aircraft of the improved Mirage-2000-5 version,” Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme told DH.

With tensions with China and Pakistan largely fuelling India’s arms import, India retains the top slot as an importer since 1993. The amount of imports, however, dropped by 11 per cent when compared between 2013–17 and 2018–22.

“The decrease can be attributed to several factors including India’s slow and complex arms procurement process, efforts to diversify its arms suppliers, and attempts to replace imports with major arms that are designed and produced domestically,” the report noted.