Report: Global Arms Sales on the Rise

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Facts

  • A report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows weapons exports and imports rose significantly from 2019-23 compared to 2014-18. This included a 94% bump in European imports and a 17% increase in US exports.1
  • Asia and Oceania had the most imports, but the region's share of global imports dropped from 41% to 37%. The Middle East took the next most with 30%, down from 33%; Europe purchased the third most with a 21% share, up from 11%. The Americas and Africa accounted for 5.7% and 4.3%.2
  • Regarding European imports, Ukraine accounted for 23%, followed by the UK (11%) and the Netherlands (9%). 55% of European weapons came from the US, with Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East also selling to the continent.3
  • Alongside the US, French weapons exports also increased, up 47% from the previous four years. 42% of French weapons went to Asia, including 30% just to India, as well as 34% to the Middle East. Meanwhile, Russian exports dropped 53%.1
  • India was the world's number one weapons importer at 9.8%, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Ukraine, and Pakistan accounting for 8.4%, 7.6%, 4.9%, and 4.3%, respectively. The import boom in Asia was also boosted by Australia and Japan.2
  • Africa's import decline was due largely to Algeria and Morocco dropping 77% and 46%, respectively, however, Egypt was the world's seventh-largest importer. China outpaced Russia as Africa's main weapons supplier.1

Sources: 1SIPRI, 2Al Jazeera and 3Euronews.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The New York Times. While concerns over an increasingly militarized world are justified, the reason for military spending is that Western states are responding to unprovoked actions by Russia and potential threats from China. After US allies in Europe and Asia saw what happened to Ukraine two years ago, and Israel more recently, the rest of the free world has decided to get ahead of the curve and deter aggressors before it's too late.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Global Times. The never-ending series of conflicts around the world are either started by the US or made worse by the US to maintain both its arms trade and geopolitical dominance. The US economy is supported significantly by war and weapons, from engineering and tech research to factory workers and administrative employees. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, the US needs to continue this cycle of carnage to keep profits up.

Predictions