Russia remains world’s second largest weapons exporter

Posted On
Defence & Security News - Russia
 
Russia remains world’s second largest weapons exporter
Russian weapons export last year reached $10 billion, going up by 9% as compared with 2013.Russia last year retained second place in the world after the United States as to the amount of weapons exported, but this year the parameter may go down somewhat, as follows from a report by the HIS consultancy.
     
Russia remains world’s second largest weapons exporterA S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft defense system (Picture: ITAR-TASS)
     

According to the company’s rating Russian weapons export last year reached $10 billion, going up by 9% as compared with 2013. The largest importers of Russian weapons were China ($2.3 billion), India, ($1.7 billion), Venezuela and Vietnam ($1 billion each).

IHS analysts warn that in view of the oil price slump and the negative effects of international sanctions Russian weapons exporters should brace for no easy times.
In 2015 export is to slump, as the largest programs are about to be closed down and the sanctions may increase this trend, the report runs.
Last year’s largest weapons importer was Saudi Arabia, which had gone ahead of India.
According to the research, last year the world market of weapons was estimated at $64.4 billion in contrast to $56.8 billion a year earlier.

The United States remained the top arms exporter last year, ahead of Russia, France, Britain and Germany, which rounded out the top five.
While Russia and Western countries are the main arms exporters, main arms buyers are in the Middle East and Asia. The top-five arms importers in 2014 were Saudi Arabia, India, China, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.