MOSCOW: Russia's defence industry has exported $6.5 billion worth of arms in the first half of 2012, an increase of 14 per cent year-on-year, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

The country's foreign arms sales, which have grown steadily over the recent years, have faced increased scrutiny recently as the West and the Arab League demand that it halts military cooperation with Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.

Putin noted on Monday that Russia “always carries out all of the obligations it undertakes”.—AFP