Saudi Arabia becomes top arms importer
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LONDON: Saudi Arabia overtook India in 2014 as the world’s biggest importer of defence equipment, fuelled by tensions in the Middle East, according to a study published on Sunday by respected analysts IHS Jane’s.
Global defence trade currently stands at $64.4 billion, said the report from the London-based defence specialists.
Take a look: Indian arms imports almost triple China, Pakistan: study
The figure has been driven by “unparallelled demand from the emerging economies for military aircraft and an escalation of regional tensions in the Middle East and Asia Pacific,” IHS expert Ben Moores said.
The report, which examines the defence market across 65 countries, found that Saudi Arabia spent more than $6.4 billion on defence kit in 2014, overtaking India on $5.57 billion.
Saudi Arabian imports increased by 54 per cent over the past year and the study predicts that one out of every seven dollars spent on defence exports in 2015 will be spent by the Middle East kingdom.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) together imported $8.6 billion of defence equipment in 2014, more than the imports of Western Europe combined.
The United States maintained its position as the top exporter, shipping $23.7 billion of equipment, ahead of Russia on $10 billion.
“The biggest beneficiary of the strong Middle Eastern market remains the US, with $8.4 billion worth of Middle Eastern exports in 2014, compared to $6 billion in 2013,” said the report.
Despite Russia’s strong performance, boosted by $2.3 billion of sales to China, the study predicted tougher times ahead.
“A drop-off in exports is forecast for 2015 as major programmes draw to a close, a trend that could be accelerated by sanctions,” it said.
“Furthermore, falls in the oil price are set to have a devastating impact on some lead Russian clients who are vulnerable to low oil prices, such as Venezuela and Iran”. France was the third biggest exporter ($4.9 billion) followed by Britain ($4.1 billion) and Germany ($3.5 billion).
Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2015
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Comments (44) Closed
Mar 09, 2015 06:34am
Money to burn, they produce nothing. Good fortune that oil is gushing out of desert. Buying military hardware is priority to suppress its own people as Saudis are well protected by the Americans. Saudis do not get involved in any military conflict.
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Mar 09, 2015 06:53am
Where is china on business chart? I was thinking for 2nd place at least.
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Mar 09, 2015 06:56am
$billions petro dollar spent by KSA yet you don't see Saudi army flexing muscles to control ISIS . Jordan a tiny country has shown more guts than this oil rich kingdom of Al Saud. They think they can buy anything with their petro dollars but a well trained army you can't buy. With all the stock pile of arms, why do they need protection umbrella from US & other western countries ?
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Mar 09, 2015 07:11am
India has already placed a huge order to Russia for 5th generation Sukhoi. Amount may be approximately 30 billion USD across 4 years. However, might is not always right.
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Mar 09, 2015 07:12am
Saudi Arabia is fearful of ISIS, that is why they have become the biggest importer of arms.
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Mar 09, 2015 07:13am
so what's their insecurity and where the arms are going? i think everyone knows now..
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Mar 09, 2015 07:24am
With Modiji make in India campaign India's import bound to further come down in near years.
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Mar 09, 2015 07:27am
Yet the infantry gear they posses right now, at least that visible in the picture is ww2 era.
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Mar 09, 2015 07:31am
Should spent 3 times that at least - we living in dodge times
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Mar 09, 2015 07:39am
this is hilarious.. what war did Saudis ever take part in... this is just another way to be the slaves of the masters who are selling these arms..
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Mar 09, 2015 08:07am
And then people are surprised when a deceased Saudi King is called a "peacemaker" or "visionary" by US officials despite being the biggest funder of terrorism worldwide. Duh!
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Mar 09, 2015 08:29am
West will eat away all Saudi oil money through imaginary threat from Iran.
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Mar 09, 2015 08:39am
Thanks to Saudi who snatched from India as top arms importers position. Current government has highest priority to reduce defence equipment of india . India need to build defence product in his country with the help of different -2 country.modi government want to full transformation of defence technology.
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Mar 09, 2015 08:47am
As long as other nationalities are there to join their army,It will sustain.This is common in all oil rich middle eastern countries.
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Mar 09, 2015 08:56am
A lot of Saudi Arabia imported arms end up in the hands of terrorists like ISIS, Taliban and Al Qaeda. No wonder they were the biggest importer of arms in 2014.
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Mar 09, 2015 09:21am
This soldiers in the photo above look extremely portly and unfit for soldier duty.
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Mar 09, 2015 09:22am
Visit of Obama to the kingdom last month was to do some marketing on the arms sales and not to shed tears (of course crocodile) on the demise of KING ABDULLAH
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Mar 09, 2015 09:23am
Very sad news indeed. Why does KSA or UAE etc need so much arms and ammunition ? Most likely it is for supplying to Daesh who in turn use it for mass murders in Syria, Iraq etc. After all Daesh do not produce weapons of their own and they need this kind of assistance in addition to monetary support which they readily get from its mentors.
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Mar 09, 2015 09:39am
And their local industry is?
They should focus on making things locally with local people doing some work.
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Mar 09, 2015 09:41am
We all know where all this is being channeled.
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Mar 09, 2015 09:47am
Thank God. This is one list on which India should not find mention. Its a shameful list. We must "Make in India". Progressively, all our defence needs should be met indigenously. Its a question of priorities. If we can make a vehicle to go to Mars, surely we can also make artillery and fighter jets.
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Mar 09, 2015 09:51am
Saudi Buying less with higher price like a rich man. And bragging for being top spenders !! Where as India buying a lot with best available global price with tough competition among the suppliers ..as if a middle-class guy go to shopping and tries buy with negotiated price.
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Mar 09, 2015 10:08am
No wonder America and Israel create a Iran-hype. Frighten the Gulf countries, make them buy more weapons, defence industry flourishes, multi-billion dollar exports... wow...
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Mar 09, 2015 10:08am
Dont understand why Saudi Arabia needs such a big arsenal of war weapons.
I dont think the Iran threat quantifies this much imports.
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Mar 09, 2015 10:12am
India is more concentrating on "make in India" and want self reliant in defence sector and achieve this goal with in 10 years .
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Mar 09, 2015 10:16am
Pakistan soldiers fight KSA wars, why not merge both militaries , KSA can gain from excellent pakistan soldiers, officers and think tanks and Pakistan can gain from KSA investment in arms and ammunition.
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Mar 09, 2015 10:23am
They have imported stuff but can they use that stuff?
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Mar 09, 2015 10:34am
Who is natural enemy of KSA?
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Mar 09, 2015 10:37am
Can understand Saudi Arabia importing arms. But India, with 5 lakh new engineers, 25000 Ph.Ds every year importing technology and weapons instead of using local talent explains what the politicians have made India into.
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Mar 09, 2015 10:46am
What I understand from the photograph is - Saudi soldiers just got their uniforms and shoes imported and posed fora group photo after wearing them.
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Mar 09, 2015 10:50am
Biggest importer is not very proud thing to be.
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Mar 09, 2015 10:56am
Saudi Arabia can spent zillions of dollars on arms but remember this.....The moment they are attacked they flee like a bunch of scared sheep.....That's why Saddam Hussein used to give them sleepless nights so they went to Uncle Sam.....Now Iran is giving them nightmares but only this time they can't run to Uncle Sam because Russia has put it's foot down towards any American adventures......but there's also another school of thought whereby the Pakistani military is the Kings personal bodyguard as far as Pakistan get crumbs from their masters....but don't say this out loud cause the Pakistanis can't handle this truth......Prove me wrong if you wish to.....
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Mar 09, 2015 11:00am
@mjk saudi army is very formidable and very well trained and combat ready. a country like Jordan cannot compare with Saudi,, ( in weapons, training strategic importance and readiness)
race of arms in middle east is now 15 years old. the buying has been going on since then.
oman and qatar and kuwait as well as egypt are also large importers.
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Mar 09, 2015 11:26am
There is nothing wrong in purchasing weapons' systems, as long it boost the defense industry and create jobs By importing weapons' technology. Unfortunately, KSA is not importing any technology that would translate into creating skilled jobs.
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Mar 09, 2015 11:46am
@ANURAG gautam This is import, not spending. China spends a lot but doesn't import that much. The biggest spender is the US by far.
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Mar 09, 2015 11:47am
@Aslam Shaikh Good one! :)
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Mar 09, 2015 11:49am
@Riaz Why else was this monster called Iran created? To control oil and sell arms, maybe?
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Mar 09, 2015 12:28pm
I would not like to see India as major arms importer instead it should work on indigenous production of arms. May be it will take some years but let's invest on this.
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Mar 09, 2015 01:28pm
We create hunger, we create food you buy food we create more hunger you continue to buy food
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Mar 09, 2015 02:49pm
@zak "Pakistan soldiers fight KSA wars, why not merge both militaries , KSA can gain from excellent pakistan soldiers, officers and think tanks and Pakistan can gain from KSA investment in arms and ammunition."
Why not? Within 2 years even a free military coup.
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Mar 09, 2015 06:27pm
Arms do not provide the security. folks..The most intense conflicts, if overcome, leave behind a sense of security and calm that is not easily disturbed. It is just these intense conflicts and their conflagration which are needed to produce valuable and lasting results and that can only be achieved by peace with your neighbors and not to fight the ideological warfare. My Saudi friends our religion teaches lakum di na kum walaya deen. believe in it and you will have peace..
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Mar 09, 2015 10:26pm
Who is going to operate those HI- TECH machines and shoot the guns. I have not seen a Help Wanted advertisement in the Pakistani papers. Probably they will rent the army till the equipment become obsolete in next five years.
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Mar 11, 2015 08:20am
It is just to buy super sonic jets for the royal family. After all they want to drive super sonic fighter planes when they get bored with their regular slow bulky airplanes or their fast sports cars.
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Mar 12, 2015 08:52pm
It is not the gun that matters. It is the finger on the gun. Unfortunately the Saudis have neither the finger nor any brains. They are importing all the arms to pass on to their terrorist brothers. They are not only the biggest importer of arms they are also the biggest exporter of terrorism. Why do they not pay for the arms and have them shipped directly to the Al Qaida and the likes. It will be faster and, may be, just may be, save some money in shipment.
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