India was the second-largest arms importer in the world between 2020 and 2024, with only Ukraine surpassing it, according to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The report highlighted that Ukraine’s imports surged nearly a hundredfold compared to the previous five-year period, as the country continued its military engagement with Russia following the invasion in February 2022.
The overall increase in arms imports across Europe stood at 155%, driven by the conflict in Ukraine and growing concerns over geopolitical instability, particularly regarding future US foreign policy.
While India remained among the top importers, its arms trade volume declined by 9.3% between the two five-year periods under review. Russia continued to be India’s largest supplier, accounting for 36% of its imports, although this marked a significant drop from previous levels, where Russia supplied 55% of India's imports in 2015–19 and 72% in 2010–14.
France and Israel also played a crucial role in India’s procurement strategy, reflecting a diversification in sourcing. India received 28% of France’s global arms exports, making it the largest recipient of French weaponry, while it also accounted for 34% of Israel’s arms exports.
The country additionally procured arms from the United States, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine, as it sought to maintain its military preparedness amid ongoing tensions with China and Pakistan.
The SIPRI data showed that the United States remained the largest global arms exporter, controlling 43% of the market, with Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Japan being its top three recipients. France followed as the second-largest exporter, with a 9.6% global share, supplying significant quantities of arms to India, Qatar and Greece.
The report further detailed that the United States led in the export of a wide range of military equipment, including combat aircraft, helicopters, warships, surface-to-air missile systems, tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery. France was a major supplier of combat aircraft, artillery and other armoured vehicles, while Russia focused primarily on tanks and fire-support vehicles.
Pakistan emerged as the fifth-largest arms importer in the world during 2020–24, with its imports increasing by 61% compared to the previous period. The country accounted for 4.6% of global arms imports and continued to rely heavily on China, which supplied 81% of its weaponry, marking an increase from 74% in 2015–19.
The report pointed to Pakistan’s large-scale arms procurement programme, which included deliveries of combat aircraft and frigates, further strengthening its military capabilities.
Despite India’s historical dependence on Russian arms, the report noted a gradual shift towards Western suppliers, particularly France, Israel and the United States.