Pakistan was one of the biggest importers of major arms in Asia and Oceania region between 2016 and 2020, a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has revealed.
According to the report, Asia and Oceania was the largest importing region for major arms, accounting for 42% of global arms import during 2016-2020. Pakistan along with China, India, Australia, and South Korea were the biggest importers in the region.
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China was the largest arms importer in East Asia, receiving 4.7% of the global arms imports in 2016–2020.
China remained the fifth largest arms exporter during 2016-2020. However, China reported a decline of 7.8% in arms exports during 2016-2020 in comparison with 2011-2015.
China accounted for only 5.2% of total global arms exports during 2016-2020 as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Algeria were the largest importers of Chinese arms.
India’s arms imports fell by 33% during 2016-2020 in comparison to 2011-2015. Russia remained India’s largest arms supplier while India’s imports from Russia decreased by 53% and by 46% from the US during 2016-2020.
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Overall, the US remained the largest arms exporter during 2016-2020, increasing its global share of arms exports to 37%. The US was followed by Russia which accounted for 20% of global arms exports during 2016-2020.
France remained the third largest arms exporter during 2016-2020 with 8.2% of the global exports while Germany was ranked as the fourth-largest arms exporter during 2016-2020 with 5.5% of the global exports.
The winner in conflicts among nations are the countries which manufacture weapons. The losers are the people of the conflicting nations who spend billions on purchasing these weapons and later disposing them as they have expired. Peace would be an economic game changer, but the arms exporters would never want this.