Make-in-India push fails to cut imports as India remains 2nd biggest arms buyer

New Delhi: A new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has revealed that India continues to be the world’s second-largest importer of major arms, accounting for 8.2 per cent of global imports during the 2021–2025 period.

The report notes that India’s arms imports declined by about 4 per cent compared with the 2016–2020 period, reflecting the government’s push to increase domestic defence manufacturing through the Make-in-India programme.

Russia’s share in India’s arms imports declines sharply

The report highlights a significant shift in India’s traditional defence partnerships. Russia, which had long been India’s largest arms supplier, saw its share fall sharply from around 70 per cent in 2011–2015 to 40 per cent in 2021–2025.

Meanwhile, France and Israel have emerged as major suppliers. France accounted for 29 per cent of India’s arms imports during the period, while Israel’s share rose to 15 per cent.

According to SIPRI analysts, the decline in imports is partly due to India’s growing ability to design and produce weapons domestically. However, the report also notes that domestic defence production often faces delays.

Major defence deals with Western countries expected

The report suggests that India’s arms imports may remain significant in the coming years as several major defence deals are under consideration.

These include a proposed deal to acquire 114 Rafale fighter jets from France, estimated to cost around Rs 3.25 lakh crore. Other potential purchases include six air-independent propulsion (AIP) equipped submarines from Germany, six additional P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from the United States, and various missile defence systems and drones from Israel.

Security concerns with China and Pakistan driving imports

SIPRI also noted that India’s defence procurement is largely influenced by security concerns related to China and Pakistan.

The report referenced the May 2025 military confrontation between India and Pakistan, known as Operation Sindoor, noting that imported weapons were used during the clash between the two nuclear-armed states.

Analysts said India’s large arms imports are driven by the perceived threat from China and its long-standing tensions with Pakistan, which is a major recipient of Chinese weapons.

Pakistan’s arms imports surge with Chinese support

Pakistan ranked as the fifth-largest importer of major arms globally between 2021 and 2025, rising from tenth place in the previous period.

The country’s arms imports increased by 66 per cent during the period and accounted for 4.2 per cent of global arms imports.

Nearly 80 per cent of Pakistan’s arms imports came from China, reinforcing the close defence partnership between the two countries.

Global arms trade trends

Globally, the top five arms importers during the 2021–2025 period were Ukraine, India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan, together accounting for 35 per cent of total global arms imports.

The report also recorded a 9.2 per cent rise in global arms trade between 2021 and 2025 compared with the 2016–2020 period.

The United States remained the world’s largest arms exporter, accounting for 42 per cent of global exports. France ranked second with a 9.8 per cent share, while Russia placed third with 6.8 per cent.

The report also noted that Europe became the largest regional importer of arms for the first time since the 1960s, accounting for 33 per cent of global imports. This surge was largely driven by the war in Ukraine and increased security concerns across the continent.

Asia and Oceania accounted for 31 per cent of global arms imports, while West Asia represented 26 per cent. Meanwhile, Russia’s share of global arms exports declined significantly, falling from 21 per cent in 2016–2020 to 6.8 per cent in 2021–2025, largely due to reduced exports to countries such as Algeria, China and Egypt.