1 / 101. Ukraine | Ukraine was the world’s largest arms importer in 2021–25, accounting for 9.7% of global imports, a massive jump from just 0.1% in 2016–20. The surge is driven by the ongoing war with Russia, with the US, Germany, and Poland emerging as its biggest suppliers. Western military aid has significantly reshaped global arms transfer patterns. (Image: Reuters)
2 / 102. India | India ranked second, with 8.2% of global arms imports, though its purchases declined slightly compared with the previous five-year period. Russia remained the largest supplier (40%), followed by France (29%) and Israel (15%), reflecting India’s continued diversification of defence sourcing. The country remains heavily reliant on imports while expanding domestic defence manufacturing. (Image: Reuters)
3 / 103. Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia accounted for 6.8% of global arms imports, though this represents a 31% decline compared with 2016–20. The United States dominated supplies (77%), with Spain and France also major contributors. Despite the drop, the kingdom remains one of the world’s biggest defence spenders due to regional security tensions.(Image: Canva)
4 / 104. Qatar | Qatar ranked fourth with 6.4% of global imports, marking a 106% surge from the previous period. The country sourced nearly half of its arms from the United States, followed by Italy and the United Kingdom. The sharp increase reflects Doha’s long-term military modernisation and procurement programmes. (Image: Canva)
5 / 105. Pakistan | Pakistan accounted for 4.2% of global arms imports, a 66% increase from 2016–20. The country relies heavily on China, which supplied around 80% of its imports, underscoring deep defence cooperation between the two. Türkiye and the Netherlands were smaller but notable suppliers. (Image: Reuters)
6 / 106. Japan | Japan’s arms imports rose sharply, reaching 3.9% of global imports, a 76% increase from the previous five-year period. Nearly all of Japan’s imports came from the US (about 95%), reflecting the strength of the US–Japan security alliance. The rise aligns with Tokyo’s push to expand defence capabilities amid growing regional tensions. (Image: Reuters)
7 / 107. Poland | Poland saw one of the largest increases globally, accounting for 3.6% of arms imports, up over eightfold compared with 2016–20. Major suppliers included South Korea and the United States, reflecting Warsaw’s rapid military build-up following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Poland has become one of Europe’s fastest-growing defence spenders. (Image: Canva)
8 / 108. United States | Despite being the world’s largest arms exporter, the United States also ranked eighth as an importer, accounting for 2.9% of global imports. Its purchases mainly came from allies such as the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. These imports typically involve specialised systems or joint defence projects. (Image: Reuters)
9 / 109. Kuwait | Kuwait accounted for 2.8% of global arms imports, reflecting a dramatic 805% increase compared with the previous period. The US was the dominant supplier, followed by Italy and France. The surge reflects major procurement deals aimed at strengthening air and missile defence capabilities. (Image: Canva)
10 / 1010. Australia | Australia also held a 2.8% share of global imports, though its purchases fell 39% compared with 2016–20. The US supplied about 85% of Australia’s imported arms, highlighting the close defence partnership between the two countries. Canberra is increasingly investing in advanced military capabilities amid rising strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. (Image: Reuters)
