The Swedish research institute SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, published its global arms export and import report on Monday, comparing the arms exports of various countries in the years 2016–2020 to 2021–2025.

Israel’s share of global arms exports in recent years (2021–2025) has climbed to 4.4%, up from 3.1% in the previous period (2016–2020). Israel is now the world’s seventh-largest arms exporter and, for the first time, has surpassed Great Britain in weapons exports. Britain’s share of global exports currently stands at 3.4%.

Following the US, the largest arms exporters are France (9.8%), Russia (6.8%), Germany (5.7%), China (5.6%), Italy (5.1%) and then Israel (4.4%).

Israel is also the 14th-largest arms importer in the world. Most of its imported weaponry is purchased from the United States (68%), followed by Germany (31%), with a small fraction coming from Italy (1%).

The total volume of the global arms trade rose by 9.2% in 2021–2025 compared to 2016–2020. European nations more than tripled their weapons imports, effectively becoming the world’s largest arms-importing region.

The US was the world’s largest arms exporter in 2021-2025, commanding a 42% share of all global arms exports — putting it far ahead of the runner-up countries. Its share of total arms exports increased compared to the 2016–2020 period, when it stood at 36%.

When discussing the destination countries for US arms exports, the report’s authors note that a blackout has been imposed on the exact quantity of weapons the US sold to Ukraine in recent years. However, assessments suggest that US President Donald Trump’s administration scaled back arms sales to Ukraine compared to former president Joe Biden’s administration.

On the overall list of countries........

© The Times of Israel