While China has turned out to be the fifth largest exporter of major conventional arms, India do not figure in the list of top exporters. This is the first time, China has joined the ranks of five top arms exporters since the end of the cold war.

However, India followed by China, Pakistan, South Korea and Singapore continue to remain as five top weapon importers.

A report released by a Sweden based organization, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) here on Monday shows that India’s share of international arms imports rose from 9% in 2003-07 to 12% in 2008-12, while China’s share of global arms fell from 12% to 6% in the same period under study.

The volume of China’s exports of major conventional weapons rose by 162% and its share of the volume of international arms exports increased from 2% to 5%.

“China’s rise has been driven primarily by large-scale arms acquisition by Pakistan,” said the Director of SIPRI Arms Transfer Programme, Dr Paul Holtom

However, a number of recent deals indicate that China is establishing itself as a significant arms supplier to a growing number of important recipient countries.

SIPRI data reflects the volume of deliveries of arms and not the financial value of the deals.

The overall volume of international transfers of major conventional weapons grew by 17%.

Among the top five arms suppliers, US tops the list with 30% of arms exports, followed by Russia with 26% exports, Germany with 7% exports, France with 6% exports and China with 5% exports. This is the first time that the UK has not been in the top five exporters since at least 1950, the earliest year covered by SIPRI data. China’s displacement of the UK is the first change in the composition of the top five exporters in 20 years.

US arms exports were about 12% to South Korea, 10% to Australia and 7% to UAE. Russia’s arms exports were 35% to India, 15% to China and 14% to Algeria. Germany’s arms exports were 10% each to Greece and South Korea and 8% to Spain. France’s arms exports were 21% to Singapore, 12% to China and 10% to Morocco. China’s arms exports were 55% to Pakistan, 8% to Myanmar and 7% to Bangladesh.

India’s arms imports, accounting for 12% of global imports, were 109% higher than those of China, the second biggest importer. India imported 59% more arms in 2008-12 than in 2003-07. In 2008-12 it improved its long-range military capabilities with import of such items as over 100 Su-30MKI combat aircraft from Russia, 3 A-50EhI airborne early warning aircraft (combining components from Israel, Russia and Uzbekistan), an Akula nuclear-powered submarine from Russia and the first of 8 P-8I anti-submarine warfare aircraft from US.

In 2012 China revealed several new domestically produced weapons systems that show its decreasing dependence on arms imports. Whereas in 2003-07 it was by far the largest importer of major weapons, in 2008-12 it fell to second place and its imports fell by 47%. However, new Chinese weapons continue to incorporate significant foreign components.

The first Chinese aircraft carrier delivered in 2012 was based on a design and hull imported from Ukraine. Most important Chinese mass-produced combat aircraft, J-10 and J-ii use Russian AL-31FN engines. China also continues to augment its own production of major arms with imports. In 2012 it ordered 55 Mi-17 transport helicopters from Russia and negotiated possible deals with Russia for Su-35 combat aircraft and submarines.

In the period 2008–12 Asia and Oceania accounted for almost half (47%) of global imports of major conventional weapons.

Arms imports by European countries fell by 20% in 2008–12. European states seem eager to abandon or reduce a range of arms import plans. During 2012 Italy and the Netherlands reduced their orders for F-35 combat aircraft from the USA, while Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania dropped plans for newly produced combat aircraft in favour of second-hand options.

Many European states are also seeking to export newly acquired combat aircraft that they can no longer afford to maintain. For example, Portugal is seeking buyers for its new fleet of F-16s and Spain is seeking to sell newly purchased Eurofighter Typhoons.

Russia accounted for 71% of exports of major weapons to Syria in 2008–12 and continued to deliver arms and ammunition in 2012.

The Arab states of the Gulf accounted for 7% of world arms imports in 2008–2012. Missile defence systems were an important element in their latest arms acquisitions, with orders placed in 2011–12 for Patriot PAC-3 and THAAD systems from US.

Deliveries of weapons system to Venezuela as part of its ongoing rearmament programme continued in 2012. Russia accounted for 66% of transfers to Venezuela, followed by Spain (12%) and China (12%).

Imports by North African states increased by 350% in 2008–12, which was almost entirely responsible for a doubling (by 104 per cent) in imports by Africa as a whole.

Sub-Saharan Africa imports increased by just 5%. Most countries in sub-Saharan Africa imported only small numbers of major weapons, but many of these have been used in internal conflicts or in interventions in conflicts in neighbouring states, most recently in Mali.

Greece’s arms imports fell by 61 per cent between 2003–2007 and 2008–12, pushing it from the number 4 importer to number 15. In 2006–10 Greece was the top recipient of German arms exports and the third largest recipient of French arms exports.