Biggest Global Arms Importers

As global tensions rise, nations are ramping up their military capabilities—largely through arms imports. From the Middle East to Europe, shifting alliances, regional insecurities, and defence strategies are shaping the future of warfare.

So, who’s buying the most weapons? Fresh data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reveals the world’s top arms importers from 2020 to 2024. Fourteen countries stand out, each playing a key role in the global arms trade. But the biggest player? The Rest of the World—a collective of smaller nations—accounts for a massive 37.9% of total imports.

The arms race is on, and the stakes have never been higher.

Key Insights:

1. Ukraine’s Arsenal Grows – Russia’s invasion has turned Ukraine into the world’s largest arms importer, commanding 8.8% of global purchases.

2. India’s Strategic Build-Up – Historically a dominant buyer, India secures 8.3% of global arms imports, reinforcing its military amid tensions with China and Pakistan.

3. Middle Eastern Muscle Flexing – Saudi Arabia and Qatar, each accounting for 6.8%, highlight the region’s consistent demand for advanced military hardware. Gulf states are investing heavily in deterrence and regional power projection.

4. European Rearmament – War jitters are driving procurement. Poland and the UK appear among the top buyers, while Ukraine’s surge signals a broader European trend: security assumes greater primacy

5. The invisible giant – While 14 nations stand out, the Rest of the World quietly absorbs 37.9% of global arms imports. From Latin America to Africa, smaller nations are quietly stocking up. The global arms trade is anything but a closed club.

Data Source:

The data has been sourced from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s Factsheet on Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2024. The same could be accessed via the link: https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/fs_2503_at_2024_0.pdf