*LAHORE: *A report released by Stockholm International Research Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has revealed Pakistani arms imports dropped 36 percent between 2008-2012 and 2013-17.
According to SIPRI’s press release on its website, Pakistan accounted for 2.7 percent of global arms imports during 2013-17. Arm imports from USA during the above-mentioned period slumped by 76 percent compared to 2008-2013.
Pakistan remained the largest recipient of Chinese arms imports during 2013-17, SIPRI revealed.
Siemon Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme said “The tensions between India, on the one side, and Pakistan and China, on the other, are fuelling India’s growing demand for major weapons, which it remains unable to produce itself,’ said. ‘China, by contrast, is becoming increasingly capable of producing its own weapons and continues to strengthen its relations with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar through arms supplies.”
And Pakistan’s arch nemesis India was the largest importer of arms during 2013-17, accounting for 12 percent of global arm imports. Russian arm imports to India rose by 62 percent during 2013-17 but US arm imports surged 557 percent from 2008-2012 and 2013-2017.
Indian arm imports clocked a 24 percent rise between 2008-2012 and 2013-2017, reported SIPRI.
Global arm imports into the Middle East have doubled in the last decade, said SIPRI. Arm imports by nations in the Middle East surged 103 percent between 2008-12 and 2013-17, accounting for 32 percent of global arm imports during 2013-17.
During 2013-17, Saudi Arabia remained the world’s second largest arms importers, with imports surging 225 percent compared with 2008-12.
On the export front, US consolidated its lead by constituting for 34 percent of total arm exports globally.