Stockholm/New Delhi: India has gradually reduced its reliance on Russian weaponry over the past decade, increasingly sourcing arms from Western countries, according to a report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The report shows that Russia, while still India’s largest arms supplier, accounted for only 40 percent of imports between 2021 and 2025, down from 51 percent during 2016–20 and 70 percent in 2011–15. In contrast, France and Israel together supplied nearly 44 percent of India’s imports in the same period, with France contributing 29 percent and Israel 15 percent.
SIPRI attributed India’s evolving arms procurement strategy to strategic concerns stemming from tensions with neighbouring countries, particularly China and Pakistan. The report noted that these tensions have occasionally escalated into armed conflict, including a brief confrontation with Pakistan in May 2025, in which imported major weapons were deployed by both sides.
On Pakistan, SIPRI noted that it ranked as the fifth-largest weapons importer globally, accounting for 4.2 percent of international imports. Pakistan’s arms purchases rose by 66 percent compared with the 2016–20 period. The report highlighted that China supplied 80 percent of Pakistan’s imports, followed by Turkey and the Netherlands.
Globally, international arms transfers reached their highest level since 2011–15, with the United States remaining the top exporter, accounting for 42 percent of global transfers between 2021 and 2025. The US supplied weapons to 99 countries, including 35 in Europe, 18 in the Americas, 17 in Africa, 17 in Asia and Oceania, and 12 in the Middle East.
France emerged as the second-largest supplier, responsible for 9.8 percent of global exports, while Russia held the third position. Germany overtook China to become the fourth-largest arms exporter in 2021–25.
The SIPRI report underscores a clear trend of India diversifying its defence suppliers toward Western nations, reflecting both geopolitical strategy and the country’s efforts to modernise its armed forces.
