Saudi Arabia
According to a SIPRI report, Saudi Arabia was the world’s second-largest arms importer from 2018–2022, accounting for 9.6% of all arms imports.
- The United States is the primary supplier of arms to Saudi Arabia, accounting for 78% of its imports.
- Saudi Arabia’s major arms imports are influenced by several variables, including its status as an important player in regional geopolitics, competition with Iran, and involvement in wars such as the Yemeni Civil War.
- The country’s arms imports include advanced military equipment including fighter jets, armored vehicles, missile defense systems, naval boats, and advanced armament from various international vendors.
- Saudi Arabia’s defense purchases are part of a larger military modernization initiative aimed at boosting defensive capabilities, and improving interoperability with allies.
Top 10 Largest Arms Importers in the World
In the last five years, India accounted for the largest share of global arms imports (11%), followed by Saudi Arabia (9.6%), Qatar (6.4%), Australia (4.7%), and China (4.7%), according to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). It is a think tank that monitors imports of weapons over five years.
In this article, we will look into the list of the top 10 arms importer countries in the world along with the percentage of share of global arms imports and the major suppliers.