India becomes world’s largest arms importer

[RaptorRX707]

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India becomes world’s largest arms importer

- Country spending billions of dollars on fighter jets, aircraft carriers

- 40%increase in defence budget for upcoming year

NEW DELHI: In its race to join the club of international powers, India has reached another milestone; it is now the world’s largest weapons importer.

A Swedish think tank that monitors global arms sales said Monday that India’s weapons imports had overtaken China’s, as the country pushes on with plans to modernise its military, counter Beijing’s influence and gain international clout. “India has ambitions to become first a continental and then a regional power,” said Rahul Bedi, a South Asian analyst with London-based Jane’s Defense Weekly.

According to the report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India accounted for nine percent of all international arms imports in the period from 2006 to 2010, and it is expected to keep the top spot for the foreseeable future.

Indian Defence Ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar declined to comment on the report before he had a chance to read it.

China dropped to the second place, with six percent of global imports, as it continued to build up its domestic arms industry, something India has so far failed to do, Wezeman said. The US was the largest arms exporter, followed by Russia and Germany, according to the report. The institute measures arms transactions over a five-year period to take into account the long time lag between orders and delivery of arms.

India is spending billions of dollars on fighter jets and aircraft carriers to modernise its air force and navy.

With its booming economy and growing power, India has been pushing for a greater international role, including a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. India’s defence budget for the coming year is Rs 1.5 trillion ($32.5 billion), a 40 percent increase from two years before. It imports more than 70 percent of its arms.

“The vast majority of those imports, 82 percent, come from Russia, which has long been India’s supplier of choice,” the report said. But other countries have been pushing for a chunk of the lucrative market, with world leaders streaming here in recent months, in part to push defence deals.

During British Prime Minister David Cameron’s July visit, the two countries announced a nearly $1.1 billion deal for India to buy 57 Hawk advanced trainer jets. During President Barack Obama’s November visit, a $4.1 billion sale of 10 C-17 transport aircraft was announced. France and India moved closer to finalising a $2.1 billion Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft upgrade deal during President Nicolas Sarkozy’s December visit, and a few weeks later India and Russia agreed to jointly develop a fifth generation fighter aircraft during President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit.

India is awaiting delivery of a $2.3 billion rebuilt aircraft carrier from Russia, as it builds another carrier itself, and has ordered six submarines worth $4.5 billion from France.

India is also in the market to buy 126 fighter jets, a deal worth $11 billion, and about 200 helicopters worth another $4 billion. It also has plans to buy large amphibious landing ships at $300 million to $500 million each and is discussing another $10 billion submarine order, Wezeman said.

“The kind of purchases that India is buying, no country in the world buys,” Bedi said, adding, “What is in the pipeline is huge”. ap


Note: Gladly, Pakistan and China are NOT the largest importers but self efficient, self-sufficient, and cost saving. Next few years, Pakistan and China exporting JFT/J10s, other technology for more profits and experiences while India is busy importing..

[below_freezing]

By value of arms transfers (including military aid) China is only 13th, ranking behind even South Korea and Greece.

Arms industry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Water Car Engineer]

Gladly, Pakistan and China are NOT the largest importers but self efficient, self-sufficient, and cost saving. Next few years, Pakistan and China exporting JFT/J10s, other technology for more profits and experiences while India is busy importing..

Show me Pakistan's first home made jet fighter, tank, rifle, helicopter, attack helicopter, etc, etc. Other then the recent Gyrocopter.


Pakistan isn't the largest importer because you dont have money like India. What do you want India to do? Say sorry that now in India's history 2% of its GDP will end up to be $35 billion? Get used to it, it will increase further.

And at least its trying to build its first helicopters, attack helicopter, tank, jet fighter, carrier, etc. Many nations dont even bother.

[RaptorRX707]

Show me Pakistan first home made jet fighter, tank, rifle, helicopter, attack helicopter, etc, etc. Other then the recent Gyrocopter.

Huh?
JFT (China/Pakistan joint)
AL Khalid (China/Pakistan joint)
Frigates (China/Pakistan joint)
Many Rifle (google it) (Pakistan)
T129 Attack Helicopter (Pakistan/Turkey )
MRL
vice versa
Keep in mind, these are Pakistan's specification requirements.
Pakistan DOESN'T AGREE to import many stuffs (lists) which India does. I assure you, India is increasingley feel insecure by the increasing cooperation of China and Pakistan.



Pakistan isn't the largest importer because you dont have money like India. What do you want India to do? Say sorry that now in India's history 2% of its GDP will end up to be $35 billion? Get used to it, it will increase further.

Not good idea spending on largest stuffs, more costly maintenances and inexperiences.

[Roybot]

Either mock India's "failed" defence projects or mock Indians defence imports.

[Water Car Engineer]

T129 Attack Helicopter is a JV between Turkey and Pakistan? Come on dude..

JFT (China/Pakistan joint)
AL Khalid (China/Pakistan joint)

Sure Su 30MKI is also HAL/Russia JV. *roll eyes*

I am not talking about JV. And whats Pakistani in AL Khalid and JF-17?

[hindukush]

indians are sitting on a time bomb waiting to explode....i am sure these weapons are gonna end up with naxelites/maoists and rest of the 300 insurgent outfits in india.

[harsh1488]

indians are sitting on a time bomb waiting to explode....i am sure these weapons are gonna end up with naxelites/maoists and rest of the 300 insurgent outfits in india.

dont be stupid naxals are armed by china and pakistan as the cannot acquire weapons from india even if the attacks.
naxals cannot fly su30mki or lca and one needs runway to operate them the cannot take of from jungles
and how does importing weapons from china make pakistan self sufficient?

[hindukush]

dont be stupid naxals are armed by china and pakistan as the cannot acquire weapons from india even if the attacks.
naxals cannot fly su30mki or lca and one needs runway to operate them the cannot take of from jungles
and how does importing weapons from china make pakistan self sufficient?

lca does it even exists?

dosent takes much time to make airfields in jungles.....naxels are pretty good when it comes to cutting

[vapercn]

Why not spend more money to feed your hungry children?????

[Kevrai]

Show me Pakistan first home made jet fighter, tank, rifle, helicopter, attack helicopter, etc, etc. Other then the recent Gyrocopter.

Huh?
JFT (China/Pakistan joint)
AL Khalid (China/Pakistan joint)
Frigates (China/Pakistan joint)
Many Rifle (google it) (Pakistan)
T129 Attack Helicopter (Pakistan/Turkey )
MRL
vice versa
Keep in mind, these are Pakistan's specification requirements.
Pakistan DOESN'T AGREE to import many stuffs (lists) which India does. I assure you, India is increasingley feel insecure by the increasing cooperation of China and Pakistan.



Pakistan isn't the largest importer because you dont have money like India. What do you want India to do? Say sorry that now in India's history 2% of its GDP will end up to be $35 billion? Get used to it, it will increase further.

Not good idea spending on largest stuffs, more costly maintenances and inexperiences.

the T-129 is a joint venture between AgustaWestland and TAI. pakistan has made no contribution to this project!!! u can stop spewing ur BS

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

Why not spend more money to feed your hungry children?????

i m sure i can pardon my govt for not feeding hungry children. by the way pls go n check the budget and then talk abt it. enough money has been allotted for poverty eradication and nutritional proggrammes.

[Hafizzz]

Show me Pakistan's first home made jet fighter, tank, rifle, helicopter, attack helicopter, etc, etc. Other then the recent Gyrocopter.


Pakistan isn't the largest importer because you don't have money like India. What do you want India to do? Say sorry that now in India's history 2% of its GDP will end up to be $35 billion? Get used to it, it will increase further.

And at least its trying to build its first helicopters, attack helicopter, tank, jet fighter, carrier, etc. Many nations dont even bother.

If India is rich like you described then why is India still accepting foreign aid ???

Why are we giving £1bn aid to India? A nation with three times as many billionaires as we have (and its own space programme)

Britain's £1bn aid to India, nation with 3 times as many billionaires as we have | Mail Online

[Skull and Bones]

If India is rich like you described then why is India still accepting foreign aid ???

Why are we giving £1bn aid to India? A nation with three times as many billionaires as we have (and its own space programme)

Britain's £1bn aid to India, nation with 3 times as many billionaires as we have | Mail Online

A Pakistani citizen criticizing other nation on the pretext of aid looks ironic to me.
We agree that a significant part of our population is below poverty line, and this aid is in response to address that segment. Unlike some who spent their financial and developmental aid to buy weapons.

[EastWest]

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Is this a joke??

I think pakistanis want others to make fun of them..

We are just spending 1.5% of our GDP which is mounting to 32 billion dollars

Pakistan is spending 2.5% of GDP which is mounting to 5 billion dollars...do the math....

so..instead of criticizing india's defence budget..look at ur economy...i am sure u will ..coz m doing that here....