Stockholm : India has surpassed its neighbor China to become the world’s largest importerof conventional weapons during the 2006 to 2010 period, according to statistics released by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
While Asia and Oceania remained to be the major arms recipients over the five-year period – accountingfor 43 percent of global conventional weapon imports – India received the largest volume of international arms transfers during the period, seeing a 21 percent surge from its weapon import volume in 2001 to 2005.India’s increasing weapon importation is often cited as a result of its rivalries with China and Pakistan, but the two seem to have shown different arms import strategies during same period. China, although listed as world’s second largest weapons importer, only received a volume of conventional weapons that is barely half of volume during 2001 to 2005. Pakistan witnessed a 128 percent growth in its arms import volume compared to 2001-2005 period, SIPRI said.Russia was India’s largest weapons supplier. In 2010, Russia delivered two types of combat aircraft – 35 Su-30MKI & 10 MiG-29SMT – to India, and two countries showed strong interest in potential joint production of transport and advanced combat aircraft in future.
