The latest analysis of arms transfers conducted by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) found that the US led the global arms race, while France outpaced Russia in weapons shipments, according to Politico.
Paris has significantly increased its export market share from 7.2 per cent in the previous five-year period to 11 per cent due to efforts to expand into such regions as India. Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI, noted that sanctions imposed on Russia “contributed to the increase in French arms exports.”
France’s rise was fuelled by major deals for Dassault Aviation’s Rafale fighter jet with countries, such as Qatar, Egypt and India.
In the past few years India, Egypt and Indonesia all choose French combat aircraft in competitions that included Russian alternatives.
India is the world’s largest importer of arms. 33 per cent of its imports come from France, while 36 per cent originate from Russia. This is the first five-year period since the 1960s when Russia or the Soviet Union has not accounted for more than half of the country’s purchases.
In January, France and India pledged to reinforce defence industry ties after Paris had sold 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets and three Scorpène-class military submarines to New Delhi last summer.
Most European countries are increasing defence spending, with arms imports in 2019-2023 being 94 per cent higher than in 2014-2018. As more NATO countries meet the alliance’s minimum spending level of 2 per cent of GDP on defence, more money for weapons is emerging.
France, however, is not well positioned to take advantage of this. Although it is performing strongly in non-European markets, less than 10 per cent of its exports go to customers in Europe, with more than half of that coming from the sale of 17 Rafale jets to Greece.
