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India becomes world’s largest arms importer in 2010-2014 — study

Saudi Arabia, China, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan follow India as world’s major arms importers

STOCKHOLM, March 16. /TASS/. India, Saudi Arabia, China, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan became the world’s five major arms importers in 2010-2014, according to new data published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Monday.

India accounts for 15% of global imports of major weapons, followed by Saudi Arabia and China (5%), the UAE and Pakistan (4%). Australia (4%), Turkey, the United States, South Korea and Singapore (3%) are among the world’s top ten largest arms importers.

The SIPRI study shows that five Asian countries (India, China, Pakistan, South Korea and Singapore) account for 30 % of the total volume of arms imports worldwide.

"India accounted for 34 % of the volume of arms imports to Asia, more than three times as much as China. China’s arms imports actually decreased by 42 % between 2005-2009 and 2010-14," the study says.

The Persian Gulf countries are the most dynamically developing market of weapons purchases. The amount of military imports by Bahrein, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia grew between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 by 71%

"In 2010-14 Saudi Arabia became the world’s second largest arms importer, receiving four times more major arms than in 2005-2009," the study reads.

Imports by European states decreased by 36% between 2005-2009 and 2010-2014. The United Kingdom was the largest importer of major weapons in Europe (14% of deliveries).