Russia, Israel or US – Who is the Largest Arm Supplier to India?

Which country is the Biggest Arms Supplier to India? According to the Stockholm International Peace Research, India is Israel’s biggest weapons export market, having bought about $715 million worth of defence equipment in 2017, from $767m in 2016. Israel is India’s second-biggest arms supplier, straggling far behind traditional Indian ally Russia, which sold Indian about $1.9 billion’s worth of defence equipment.  After Russia and Israel, France and the US have emerged as India’s largest arms supplier.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research, Vietnam is Israel’s second-largest arms supplier, having purchased $142m in arms in 2017, making Israel its second largest arms supplier, after Russia. Azerbaijan – a Muslim nation bordering Iran is the third largest weapons market for Israel, having bought $137m worth of weapons in 2017, and Israel remains Azerbaijan’s largest arms supplier. According to the report, Israel has emerged as the fifth biggest arms supplier in the world, behind the US, Russia, France and Germany.

India Israel Defence Cooperation

  • When the United States blocked the Israeli sale of early warning systems to China, India came in the picture. India agreed to purchase $1b+  Phalcon early warning systems, the Green Pine radar that came with it and the rights to use the Israeli military reconnaissance satellite when it passes over South Asia.

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  • Israel sold the Barak 8 air defence system to India for about $1.1 billion. Barak 8 air defence system was an India-Israel co-production product and by 2010, the Barak ll was being produced with 70% Indian parts (according to DRDO).

Read Asian News at EurAsian Times: India China Comparison: How Can India Be Compared with China in Growth and Development?

  • India is amongst the leading clients for Israel’s drone industry. In 2015, India acquired 176 drones from Israel and by 2017, India became home to the maximum number of Israeli UAVs in the world.

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