The biggest weapon importers in the world

1. India (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 119.89

Imports of Indian guns increased by 24% between 2008 and 2012 as well as from 2013 to 2017. This is primarily due to the fact that India maintains and intensifies tensions with neighboring Pakistan. Despite the fact that India has its own production of weapons, including Tejas fighters and Dhruv helicopters, the country imports a significant amount of weapons from different countries, including Russia. In the period from 2013 to 2017, 62% of Indian arms imports were from Russia. The US is also supplying its weapons to India. There is a noticeable increase in imports from the US to India in recent years, in particular, the signing of contracts for the delivery of anti-submarine Boeing P-8 Poseidon, helicopters AH-64E Apache and other weapons.

2. Germany (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 86.80

3. China (in billion TIV) dollars from 1950 to 2017: 77.30 China continues to build up its military capabilities both through the import of weapons and through domestic production.

4. Egypt (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 64.32 The United States remains the main supplier of arms to Egypt (in particular, in 2011 the United States sold 45 M-1A1 tanks to Egypt and agreed to supply another 125 tanks).

5. Japan (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 64.04 In 2014, the Government of Japan formally renounced its policy of actually prohibiting the export of weapons and military technology, which had been in effect for almost half a century. In exchange, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a special resolution to adopt new principles related to the supply of arms abroad. At the same time, Japan ranks fifth among the largest arms importers from 1950 to 2017.

6. Saudi Arabia (in billion TIV) 1950 to 2017: 61.78 In comparison to 2006-2010, Saudi Arabia received almost two-thirds more weapons between 2011 and 2015. Overall, arms imports have increased in all countries of the Middle East, but Saudi Arabia ranks sixth in terms of arms imports between 1950 and 2017. The main supplier of weapons to this country is the United States.

7. Turkey (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 55.46 At the same time, Turkey intends to completely abandon the import of defense products by 2023. This was stated by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at the opening of the IDEF-2015 exhibition. According to the head of state, Turkey produces 54% of all weapons in the world. But Erdogan's goal is to completely get rid of dependence on imports in the defense industry by 2023.

8. Iraq (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 53.26 The first arms shipments from the USSR came to this Middle Eastern country back in 1958. The total cost of the period from 1958 to 1990 contracts for the supply of arms from the USSR was $ 30.5 billion in current prices. Now the cooperation with Russia continues. In particular, in 2015, Russia delivered to Iraq a consignment of heavy jet flamethrower systems TOS-1A "Solntsepak."

9. South Korea (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 51.80 South Korea is also among the ten largest importers. The main supplier of weapons to this country is the United States. They account for 80% of all arms shipments to South Korea. Behind them is Germany: its share in the import of arms of Korea is 13%. The third largest supplier of arms to South Korea is Sweden: it accounts for 2.2% of all supplies.

10. Iran (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 46.76 For a long time, Iran was under sanctions: the country was suspected of developing nuclear weapons, because of which it was forbidden to import weapons. Nevertheless, if you look at the country in a broader perspective, then for the period from 1950 to 2017, Iran entered the top ten largest arms importers.

11. USA (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 45.31 It is amazing to see the US in this rating, since it is the US that is one of the largest arms exporters in the world. Nevertheless, this country has also been among the largest importers of weapons. At the same time, the country has the most diversified supplier base. In 2007-2011, the US bought weapons from 15 countries, none of which accounted for more than 23% of imports. These are mainly weapons complexes used in military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

12. Israel (in billion TIV) from 1950 to 2017: 43.21 Despite the fact that Israel is among the largest importers of weapons, three Israeli companies are part of the world's one hundred largest arms producers.