Europe now world’s biggest arms importer, think tank says

Europe accounted for 33 per cent of global arms imports over the last five years. Read more at straitstimes.com.

STOCKHOLM - Europe became the world’s biggest arms importer over the last five years as governments reacted to Russia’s threat and waning confidence in US security commitments, data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute showed on March 9.

European countries more than trebled their arms imports in 2021-2025 versus 2016-2020 to supply Ukraine in its defence against Russian invasion and to rebuild their own militaries after decades of under-investment.

“The sharp increase in arms flows to European states pushed global arms transfers up almost 10 per cent,” Dr Mathew George, director of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme, said.

Europe accounted for 33 per cent of global arms imports, up from 12 per cent in the previous five-year period, the report showed.

Despite boosting domestic production, European countries continued to increase purchases of US weapons, especially combat aircraft and long-range air-defence systems.

Arms imports by Middle Eastern states fell 13 per cent, though Saudi Arabia and Qatar were among the top four individual buyers.