India, China biggest weapons importers: SIPRI

London, June 12: The Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has named India and China as the biggest weapons importers during the 2002-2006 period.

The US and Russia are the largest suppliers (about 30 per cent of global sales each), followed by the European Union (20 per cent).

In a league of the top ten countries which are the biggest military spenders led by the US (528.7bn dollars), India (23.9bn dollars) is at tenth position. But China (49.5bn dollars), at fourth position has now overtaken Japan to become the biggest military spender in Asia. It chalked up almost 50 billion dollars in military expenditures in 2006, according to the report.

Notably, Saudi Arabia spent 29bn dollars, up from 25bn dollars in 2005 and 13bn dollars in 1996.

The top ten countries listed in the report are the United States(528.7bn dollars), Britain (59.2bn ), France (53.1bn dollars), China (49.5bn dollars) and Japan (43.7bn dollars), Germany (36.9bn dollars), Russia (34.7bn dollars), Italy (29.8bn dollars), Saudi Arabia (29bn pound) and India (23.9bn dollars).

UNI

Related Stories