Asia top destination for Russian arms exports

BOFIT Viikkokatsaus / BOFIT Weekly Review 2016/08

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reports that the volume of international arms sales increased by 14 % in 2011–2015 compared to the 2006-2010 period. In the first five years of this decade, the US has accounted for 33 % of global arms exports and Russia 25 %. The next closest were China and France, each with shares below 6 %.

In 2011–2015, the volume of Russian arms exports was up 28 % compared to 2006–2010. However, in 2014 and 2015, export volumes had subsided to the 2006–2010 level. SIPRI reports that Russia supplies arms to 50 countries, as well as Ukrainian rebels. Over two-thirds of Russian arms exports go to Asia. 35 % of Russian arms exports go to India, 11 % to China and 11 % to Vietnam. Russia’s exports to Azerbaijan have soared over the past five years, increasing four percentage points to 5 % of Russia’s total arms exports.

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