Before we dive into the exporting countries which involve in the mass production of arms, let us first understand the arms industry also known as the weapon industry. It is a massive global industry that manufactures and sells weapons and military technology. It consists of a commercial industry involved in the research and development, engineering, production, and servicing of military material, equipment, and facilities.
Arms-producing enterprises, commonly known as arms dealers or the military industry, manufacture weapons for both state armed forces and civilians. Government departments also engage in the arms trade, purchasing and selling weapons, munitions, and other military hardware. Guns, artillery, ammunition, missiles, military aircraft, military vehicles, and other weapons are among the products of the arms business. Another logistical and operational support is also provided by the armaments industry.
About the Top Export Countries
As per the recent studies, it claims that only five countries received 76 percent of weapons exports from 2015 to 2019: the United States, Russia, France, Germany, and China. As per the existing information by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, floating around the internet, the United States is the top leader in arms sales worldwide, with 36 percent of the total and up to 96 clients (SIPRI).
Half of its exports went to the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia accounting for 25%. In 2019, the US Congress considered imposing certain restrictions on the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, but Donald Trump and the Saudi monarchy overcame these difficulties and ensured the supply of weapons that feeds Saudi Arabia’s aggressive growth in the region.
While the United States has increased its market share in the past few years, Russia has clearly declined. The data as per the sources states that it has gone from being the driving force behind 27% of all arms exports to monopolizing 21%. The main cause is a drop-in demand in India, which has stopped ordering 47 percent of the weapons it wanted from Russia between 2010 and 2014, despite remaining the first Russian partner with 25% of sales.
What about other Countries?
Now, let’s look at the other countries competing in this market. Well, what we learned is that to broaden its manufacturing capabilities, India, which is embroiled in a longstanding regional conflict with Pakistan, has cut its weaponry imports from the United States. On the other hand, without any second thoughts, between all these, Russia has become the clear sufferer.
In Europe, the arms sector is a pillar, with France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy accounting for 23 percent of all arms exports between 2015 and 2019, up to three percentage points from the previous five years. France exports Rafale combat planes to the Middle East and India; Germany exports submarines to Asia and Oceania, and the United Kingdom exports submarines to the Middle East.
While foreign arms purchases are declining in places such as America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, European arms imports are increasing. As per the Swedish institute’s analysis, the degradation of connections between most European countries and Russia is a significant cause of this growth.
