2nd largest arms importer, India brings embarrassment home

India continues to be world’s second-largest arms importer, after Saudi Arabia.

While it is on the 23rd position among the top 25 weapon exporters.

Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Mauritius are the major clients.

The latest data was published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

According to the data India accounted for 9.2% of the total global arms imports during 2015-2019.

China stood at the fifth position (4.3%), while Pakistan was at 11th (2.6%).

While India has long-standing aim to produce it's own major arms...

...It remains largely dependent on global imports.

French Mirage-2000, Russian Sukhoi-30MKI and MiG-21 fighters are a few of India's imports.

Russia remained the largest arms supplier to India in 2010-14 and 2015-19.

In contrast, arms imports from Israel and France increased, by 175% and 715%.

The huge spike in France’s contribution is due to the Rs 59,000 crore Rafale deal

China accounts for 73% of its all-weather ally Pakistan’s arms imports.

India’s position in the global arms import rankings is embarrassing.

This reinforces the persisting failure to build a strong defence industrial base.

It mocks NDA government’s 'Make in India' policy which yet to actually take-off

On the export chart India remains on the 23rd place.

  The government has set an arms export target of $5 billion in the next five years.

But the dependence on global imports for arms pulls India far behind.