United States expanded its status as the world’s largest arms exporter in the last five years, a period in which Europe recorded a marked increase in arms purchasethe Stockholm International Peace Studies Institute (SIPRI) said in a report on Monday.
Even though at a global level there was a fall of 4.6% compared to the expenditure of the previous five years (2012-2016), there were large regional differences, with significant increases in arms purchases in Europe, East Asia, Oceania and the Middle East, while South America registered the lowest level in five decades.
Thanks to a 14% increase in spending over the past five years, The United States went from controlling 32% to 39% of global arms sales and widened the distance with the second largest exporter, Russia, doubling their figures in that period.
US exports were received by 103 countries, with Saudi Arabia, Australia and South Korea as main recipientsin that order, and the Middle East and Asia-Oceania accounting for more than 75% of US sales.
Russia instead reduced its sales by 26% and its share of the global total fell from 24% to 19%, mainly due to lower exports to India and Vietnam.
“While several export contracts signed in the last ten years were completed at the end of 2021, other weapons deliveries are still pending and include eight air defense systems, four frigates and a nuclear submarine to India,” the study said.
Russian exports were mainly concentrated in four countries -India, China, Egypt and Algeria-of the total of 45 to whom he sold weapons in the last five years.
Thanks to a 59% increase, France gained distance as the third world exporter, with 11% global, ahead of Chinawith a total 4.6% and a drop of 31%, and Germany, with 4.5% and a drop of 19%.
Spain, which increased its sales by 10% in the last five yearsincreased its share of total sales by three tenths to 2.5%.
Europe registers the largest increase in arms purchases
The highest percentage growth in arms purchases in the last five years was recorded in Europe, with a rise of 19% compared to 2012-2016 and a global share of 13%with the United Kingdom, Norway and the Netherlands as the main buyers.
Other countries are also expected to register “significant” increases in the coming years, mainly due to contracts to acquire American fighters.
“The serious deterioration of relations between most European countries and Russia was a major catalyst for increased arms imports into Europeespecially in countries that cannot meet all their demands through their domestic arms industry,” the report states.
India and Saudi Arabia, main exporters
India remains the world’s largest importer despite a 21% drop in the last five years and is responsible for 11% of global arms purchases, the same figure as Saudi Arabiawhose operations grew by 27%.
In the Saudi case, as in other neighboring countries such as Qatar, the increase is related to the armed conflict in Yemen and tensions with Iran and other Persian Gulf states.
Egypt, with 5.7% overall; Australia, with 5.4%; and China, with 4.8%complete the list of the five largest world importers in 2017-2021.
By regions, Asia-Oceania continues to be the one that buys the most weapons (43% of the total), with six States among the ten largest importers (South Korea, Pakistan, Japan and the three mentioned above).
The report refers to tensions between China and many of the states in the area as the main driver of arms purchases.
“Those tensions are also a big factor in US arms sales to the region. The United States remains the largest supplier to Asia and Oceaniajust like the export of weapons, is an important element of US foreign policy towards China”, highlights SIPRI.
Low record figures in Latin America
arms imports fell by 36% across the Americasfollowing the trend that began a decade ago, with the United States and Canada as the main buyers, with 43% and 15% of the total in the area.
The drop is explained by a 55% reduction in arms imports from South American countriesuntil reaching the lowest level of the last fifty years.
Brazil and Chile were the main importers in the subregion, with 37% and 21% of the total, respectively.
But while Chilean purchases rose 15% in the last five years, Brazilians fell by 17%.
Brazil is, however, the only South American country that has pending “substantial deliveries” of weaponswhich include more than 1,100 armored vehicles, five submarines, four frigates and 31 fighters.