In 2010, India became the largest buyer of conventional weapons, with imports totaling 5,8 billion dollars, the British agency FirstPost reported.
Referring to the report of the US Congress, the agency states that the second place in terms of the value of the import of weapons and military equipment was taken by Taiwan with 2,7 billion dollars, and the third place by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which spent 2,2 billion dollars each on the import of weapons.
The total value of the world arms trade in 2010 was 40,4 billion dollars, which is 38 percent less than in 2009, when the countries of the world concluded agreements on the purchase of weapons for 65,2 billion dollars.
According to data from the US Military Cooperation Administration (DSCA), the share of arms exports from the US to world markets was 53 percent or 21,3 billion dollars last year.
That sum only includes agreements on military cooperation of the US Department of Defense, not direct agreements at the government level or the signing of agreements directly with US companies. Total US arms exports in 2010 were $31,6 billion.
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US share of the world arms market is 30 percent.
Data from the US Congress show that in 2010, developing countries had the largest share of world arms exports - 76,2 percent or 30,7 billion dollars.
At the same time, those countries reduced the import of weapons, mainly due to the implementation of programs to reduce the costs of military budgets.
The largest importers of weapons and military equipment in the period from 2003 to 2010 were Saudi Arabia ($29 billion), India ($17 billion) and China ($13,2 billion).
Egypt and Israel are among the top five military importers with imports of 12,1 and 10,3 billion dollars, respectively, reports Tanjug.
Bonus video:
