Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2020
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International arms transfers level off after years of sharp growth; Middle Eastern arms imports grow most, says SIPRI
(Stockholm, 15 March 2021) International transfers of major arms stayed at the same level between 2011–15 and 2016–20. Substantial increases in transfers by three of the top five arms exporters—the USA, France and Germany—were largely offset by declining Russian and Chinese arms exports. Middle Eastern arms imports grew by 25 per cent in the period, driven chiefly by Saudi Arabia (+61 per cent), Egypt (+136 per cent) and Qatar (+361 per cent), according to new data on global arms transfers published today by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).