The United States remains number one, and Russia number two.
France became the 3and arms exporter over the period 2017-2021, according to the Stockholm Institute (Sipri) benchmark report. France is, with the United States, by far the world leader with 39% of the world market (compared to 32% five years earlier). And the country whose international military sales have increased the most. The tricolor market share increased from 6 to 11% over the period. India, Qatar and Egypt, three client countries of the Rafale combat aircraft, concentrated 56% of French exports between 2017 and 2021.
Behind the United States, Russia (19% compared to 24% over the previous period) is in second place, but its sales are constantly falling (-26% between 2017 and 2021; as much between 2012 and 2016). Russia’s isolation since its invasion of Ukraine and the consequences of Western sanctions risk further penalizing its arms industry. According to Sipri, it is likely that the United States will put pressure on traditional Moscow customers such as Egypt or Algeria to stop their Russian imports.
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China (4.6%) and Germany (4.5%) are in a pocket handkerchief, in 4and and 5and place in the ranking of the 60 arms exporting countries. The top five countries accounted for 77% of international sales.
In total, notes Sipri, international sales of military equipment fell by 4.6% over the period 2017-2021 compared to the previous five-year period. But they are up by 3.9% compared to the period 2007-2011. This upward trend is expected to continue in the years to come as countries raise their level of defense in an increasingly dangerous and uncertain world.