Pakistan among largest major arms importer in Asia: SIPRI

Pakistan emerges among the largest importers for major arms in Asia and Oceania region, during the period 2016-20, revealed the latest data on global arms transfers published on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Pakistan was also among the largest recipient of Chinese arms, revealed the report. The exports by China, the world’s fifth-largest arms exporter in 2016–20, decreased by 7.8pc between 2011–15 and 2016–20. Chinese arms exports accounted for 5.2pc of total arms exports in 2016–20.

Asia and Oceania region received 42 percent of global arms transfers in 2016–20. India, Australia, China, South Korea, and Pakistan were the biggest importers in the region.

As per the SIPRI report, international transfers of major arms stayed at the same level between 2011–15 and 2016–20. Substantial increases in transfers by three of the top five arms exporters—the USA, France, and Germany—were largely offset by declining Russian and Chinese arms exports. Middle Eastern arms imports grew by 25pc in the period, driven chiefly by Saudi Arabia (+61pc), Egypt (+136pc), and Qatar (+361pc).

For the first time since 2001–2005, the volume of deliveries of major arms between countries did not increase between 2011–15 and 2016–20. However, international arms transfers remain close to the highest level since the end of the cold war.

“It is too early to say whether the period of rapid growth in arms transfers of the past two decades is over,” said Pieter D. Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.

“For example, the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic could see some countries reassessing their arms imports in the coming years. However, at the same time, even at the height of the pandemic in 2020, several countries signed large contracts for major arms.”