India has emerged as the world’s second-largest importer of arms, accounting for 8.3% of global weapons imports between 2021 and 2025, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The report notes that Ukraine, currently engaged in war with Russia, topped the list with 9.7% of global arms imports during the same five-year period.
The findings were published in SIPRI’s report titled Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2025, released on Monday.
Imports decline slightly amid push for domestic production
The report indicates that India’s dependence on imported weapons has declined slightly compared with the previous five-year period.
“Indian arms imports fell by 4% between 2016–20 and 2021–25,” the report said.
According to SIPRI, the decline is partly due to India’s growing capability to design and manufacture weapons domestically, although delays in indigenous defence production continue to remain a challenge.
However, the report added that India still relies significantly on foreign suppliers, pointing to recent or planned procurement deals. These include orders for up to 140 combat aircraft from France and six submarines from Germany.
Russia, France and Israel remain key suppliers
During 2021–2025, India’s primary arms suppliers were Russia, France and Israel.
The report highlights a gradual shift in India’s defence procurement strategy, with New Delhi increasingly diversifying away from Russia toward Western suppliers such as France, Israel and the United States.
Russia’s share in India’s arms imports has declined steadily over the past decade:
- 70% in 2011–15
- 51% in 2016–20
- 40% in 2021–25
During the latest five-year period, France accounted for 29% of India’s arms imports, while Israel supplied 15%.
Security tensions driving imports
SIPRI said India’s arms purchases are largely driven by ongoing tensions with China and Pakistan.
These tensions have occasionally escalated into military confrontations, including a brief conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025, during which both sides deployed imported major weapons systems.
Pakistan ranked as the fifth-largest arms importer globally, accounting for 4.2% of global imports, marking a 66% increase compared with 2016–20.
The report noted that China supplied around 80% of Pakistan’s imported weapons, with Turkey and the Netherlands emerging as other key suppliers.
Global arms trade trends
At the global level, international arms transfers between 2021 and 2025 were the highest since 2011–15, the report said.
The United States remained the world’s largest arms exporter, accounting for 42% of global weapons exports, up from 36% in the 2016–20 period.
During 2021–25, the US exported arms to 99 countries, including 35 in Europe, 18 in the Americas, 17 in Africa, 17 in Asia and Oceania, and 12 in the Middle East.
France ranked as the second-largest arms exporter globally, accounting for 9.8% of total exports, followed by Russia in third place. Germany overtook China to become the fourth-largest arms exporter during the same period.
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