CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -The five largest arms importers were India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia and China (see table 2).

Detailed explanation-2: -The report placed India at the top of the list. 85% of India’s overall imports were from three countries. Russia (46%), France (27%), and the USA (12%) were the top three largest exporters of arms to India during the period.

Detailed explanation-3: -The top three are Lockheed Martin ($60 billion arms sales in 2021), Raytheon ($42 billion) and Boeing ($33 billion). Six Russian companies, in turn, figure in the Top 100, with sales totalling $17.8 billion.

Detailed explanation-4: -Suppliers of major arms However, the USA’s arms exports were 108 per cent higher than Russia’s in 2017–21, compared with 34 per cent higher in 2012–16, and the gap is likely to increase. In 2017–21 the USA’s arms exports accounted for 39 per cent of the global total and were 14 per cent higher than in 2012–16.