France overtakes Russia as world's No. 2 arms exporter
France's share of arms market increases, becomes second largest behind U.S.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
France has significantly increased its share of the global arms market to 11 percent, coming in second place behind the U.S. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia saw a decline in its arms exports, falling from 21 percent to around 11 percent. France’s rise in the rankings is attributed to major deals for the Rafale fighter jet with countries like Qatar, Egypt, and India. India, the world’s largest arms importer, has shifted its imports, with 33 percent now coming from France and 36 percent from Russia. European countries, including Ukraine, have seen a significant increase in arms imports, with Europe relying more on the U.S. for arms purchases in the past five years. Although France excels in non-European markets, its European exports are limited, with most sales going to Greece.