Pakistan world’s third biggest weapon importer

GREETINGS,

   Pakistan world’s third biggest weapon importer

SOURCE: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

 STOCKHOLM – Asia leads the world when it comes to weapon imports, according to a study released Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Globally the volume of international transfers of major conventional weapons was 24 percent higher in the period 2007-11 compared to the 2002-06 period, the report said. Over the past five years, Asia and Oceania accounted for 44 percent in volume of conventional arms imports, the institute said. That compared with 19 percent for Europe, 17 percent for the Middle East, 11 percent for North and South America, and 9 percent for Africa, said the report. India was the biggest arms importer in the period covered, 2007-11, accounting for 10 percent in weapons volume.
It was followed by South Korea (6 percent), China and Pakistan (both 5 percent), and Singapore (4 percent), according to the independent institute which specialises in arms control and disarmament matters.These five countries accounted for almost a third, 30 percent, of the volume of international arms imports, said SIPRI. “India’s imports of major weapons increased by 38 percent between 2002-06 and 2007-11,” SIPRI said. “Notable deliveries of combat aircraft during 2007-11 included 120 Su-30MKs and 16 MiG-29Ks from Russia and 20 Jaguar Ss from the United Kingdom,” it said.
While India was the world’s largest importer, its neighbour and archrival Pakistan was the third largest. Pakistan took delivery of “a significant quantity of combat aircraft during this period: 50 JF-17s from China and 30 F-16s,” the report added. Both countries “have taken and will continue to take delivery of large quantities of tanks,” it also noted. “Major Asian importing states are seeking to develop their own arms industries and decrease their reliance on external sources of supply,” said Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.
China, which in 2006 and 2007 was the world’s top arms importer, has now dropped to fourth place.“The decline in the volume of Chinese imports coincides with the improvements in China’s arms industry and rising arms exports,” according to the report.