Ukraine Tops Global Arms Imports 2021-2025: SIPRI

Ukraine has overtaken all other nations as the world's largest importer of major arms between 2021 and 2025, according to a new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The report, which analyzes trends in international arms transfers, shows India in second place with 8.2 percent of global imports during the period, a slight decline from 9.3 percent in the previous five years.

The overall volume of major arms transferred worldwide rose by 9.2 percent compared to 2016-2020, driven largely by heightened geopolitical tensions and conflicts. Ukraine accounted for 9.7 percent of global imports, a dramatic increase from just 0.1 percent earlier, fueled by ongoing deliveries since Russia's 2022 invasion. India followed closely, though its imports fell by 4 percent, partly due to efforts under the government's Make in India initiative to bolster domestic production of weapons. Despite these steps, challenges such as production delays persist, and India continues to place significant orders with foreign suppliers, including up to 140 combat aircraft from France and six submarines from Germany.

Tensions along India's borders with China and Pakistan have long...