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Ukraine has become the largest importer of arms in the world, accounting for 8.8% of global arms imports between 2020 and 2024. This information comes from the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). According to SIPRI, the sharp rise in Ukraine’s arms imports is directly linked to the war with Russia, which began in February 2022. Before that, Ukraine imported very few major weapons. But the situation changed drastically in 2023 and 2024, as Ukraine received military aid from at least 35 countries. Nearly half of these arms came from the United States, the top exporter in the global arms market.

The report also highlighted a major increase in arms imports across Europe. European countries saw a 155% rise in arms imports during the 2020–2024 period compared to 2015–2019. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and concerns over regional security are seen as the main reasons for this surge.

The report notes that the five biggest arms importers in the world accounted for 35% of total global arms imports. These figures are based on 162 countries SIPRI classifies as major arms importers.

India was ranked the second-largest arms importer during the same period, with 8.3% of the world’s total imports. However, India's share has dropped by 9.3% compared to the previous five-year period (2015–2019).

This decline is believed to be due to India's push for self-reliance in defence. The country has been working on developing its domestic defence manufacturing capabilities, which has helped reduce its dependence on foreign weapons.