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Home » Latest » Data & Strategy » These Are The World’s Biggest Importers Of Major Arms

Data & Strategy

These Are The World’s Biggest Importers Of Major Arms

The largest importer of major arms between 2016 and 2020, Saudi Arabia, accounted for 11% of the global market. India followed with 9.5% of the market share, according to new data on global arms transfers published by SIPRI, while Egypt stood third. Australia was the 4th-largest arms importer in the world over the past five years, with China ranking 5th.

Middle Eastern arms imports grew by 25 percent in the period, driven chiefly by Saudi Arabia (+61%), Egypt (+136%), and Qatar (+361%). Over half of France’s arms exports were to Egypt, Qatar, and India.

These Are The World's Biggest Importers Of Major Arms

RankCountryShare of arms imports (%) 2016–20Main suppliers (share of importer’s total imports, %)
1Saudi Arabia11USA (79)
2India9.5Russia (49)
3Egypt5.8Russia (41)
4Australia5.1USA (69)
5China4.7Russia (77)
6Algeria4.3Russia (69)
7South Korea4.3USA (58)
8Qatar3.8USA (47)
9UAE3USA (64)
10Pakistan2.7China (74)
11Iraq2.5USA (41)
12Japan2.2USA (97)
13United States2.1UK (22)
14United Kingdom2.1USA (72)
15Israel1.9USA (92)
16VietNam1.8Russia (66)
17Singapore1.7USA (36)
18Indonesia1.7USA (23)
19Italy1.5USA (62)
20Turkey1.5USA (29)
21Norway1.3USA (79)
22Bangladesh1.2China (71)
23Thailand1.2South Korea (26)
24Oman1.2UK (47)
25Afghanistan1USA (89)
26Netherlands1USA (90)
27Kazakhstan1Russia (89)
28Jordan0.9USA (36)
29Morocco0.9USA (90)
30Canada0.8USA (48)
31Philippines0.8South Korea (42)
32Azerbaijan0.7Israel (69)
33Myanmar0.7China (48)
34Taiwan0.6USA (100)
35Mexico0.6USA (49)
36Poland0.6USA (33)
37Brazil0.6France (23)
38Belarus0.5Russia (99)
39Angola0.5Russia (64)
40Malaysia0.5Spain (32)

These Are The World's Biggest Importers Of Major Arms


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Sophie Ireland, PhD
Sophie Ireland, PhD in Media Entrepreneurship & Strategy, is the Senior Economist and Finance Editor at CEOWORLD Magazine, where she brings over 15 years of editorial and consulting experience across finance, media strategy, and executive communications. Sophie began her career as a financial journalist, reporting on Wall Street during the global financial crisis, before transitioning into corporate branding for Fortune 500 firms.

Her dual background in journalism and PR gives her a rare edge—she not only understands what moves the markets, but also how companies manage messaging and reputation during pivotal business moments. At CEOWORLD, Sophie curates high-level editorial content that blends financial literacy with strategic storytelling. She focuses on leadership visibility, earnings communication, investor relations, and market forecasting.

Sophie holds a degree in Financial Journalism and a professional certification in Corporate Communications. She is a sought-after panelist on executive reputation and is active in mentoring women in finance and media. Through her work at CEOWORLD, she aims to equip leaders with the insights they need to communicate powerfully, lead decisively, and maintain resilience in rapidly evolving market landscapes.