Arms Dealers See Near‑10% Growth Over the Last Five Years, SIPRI Reports
Published Monday, 9 March
As geopolitical tensions rise worldwide, arms manufacturers have posted exceptional performance – almost a 10 % increase over the past five years, according to a new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released on 9 March.
Key Findings
| Metric | 2021‑2025 vs. 2016‑2020 |
|---|---|
| Overall international arms sales | +9.2 % |
| U.S. share of global transfers | 42 % (2021‑25) vs. 36 % (2016‑20) |
| European share of global imports | +210 % (from 33 % of world imports) |
| Combined NATO‑European imports | +143 % |
| Russian export share | ‑64 % (down from 21 % to 6.8 %) |
United States – The Dominant Exporter
- The United States exported weapons to 99 countries during 2021‑25.
-
Regional breakdown of U.S. exports:
- Europe: 35 countries
- Americas: 18 countries
- Africa: 17 countries
- Asia‑Pacific: 17 countries
- Middle East: 12 countries
SIPRI’s official press release notes that the U.S. now accounts for 42 % of all international arms transfers in the 2021‑25 period, up from 36 % a decade earlier.
Europe – A Surge in Imports
- European states absorbed 33 % of global arms imports in 2021‑25, a 210 % increase compared with 2016‑20.
- After Ukraine, Poland and the United Kingdom are the biggest European importers over the last five years.
The spike is largely attributed to the Russia‑Ukraine conflict and a perceived decline in U.S. commitment to European defence, prompting NATO members to “look to themselves for security.”
“The heightened perception of Russian threats, compounded by uncertainty about U.S. willingness to defend its European allies, has driven demand for weapons among NATO‑member states. Combined imports of the 29 current European NATO members rose 143 % between 2016‑20 and 2021‑25,” – SIPRI.
Russia – A Sharp Decline
- Russian arms exports fell 64 %, with its share of global exports dropping from 21 % (2016‑20) to 6.8 % (2021‑25).
Top Exporters (2021‑25)
| Rank | Country | Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 42 % |
| 2 | France | 9.8 % |
| 3 | Russia | 6.8 % |
| 4 | Germany | 5.7 % |
| 5 | Italy (jumped from 10th to 6th) | +157 % sales growth vs. 2016‑20 |
Regional Sales Trends
- Middle East: ‑13 % (decline)
- Africa: ‑41 % (decline)
- South America: +31 % (increase)
All SIPRI figures compare arms flows by volume, not by monetary value.
This translation preserves the original data and structure while presenting the information in clear, SEO‑friendly English markdown.
