The Swedish research institute SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, published its global arms export and import report on Monday, comparing the arms exports of various countries in the years 2016–2020 to 2021–2025.
Israel’s share of global arms exports in recent years (2021–2025) has climbed to 4.4%, up from 3.1% in the previous period (2016–2020). Israel is now the world’s seventh-largest arms exporter and, for the first time, has surpassed Great Britain in weapons exports. Britain’s share of global exports currently stands at 3.4%.
Following the US, the largest arms exporters are France (9.8%), Russia (6.8%), Germany (5.7%), China (5.6%), Italy (5.1%) and then Israel (4.4%).
Israel is also the 14th-largest arms importer in the world. Most of its imported weaponry is purchased from the United States (68%), followed by Germany (31%), with a small fraction coming from Italy (1%).
The total volume of the global arms trade rose by 9.2% in 2021–2025 compared to 2016–2020. European nations more than tripled their weapons imports, effectively becoming the world’s largest arms-importing region.
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The US was the world’s largest arms exporter in 2021-2025, commanding a 42% share of all global arms exports — putting it far ahead of the runner-up countries. Its share of total arms exports increased compared to the 2016–2020 period, when it stood at 36%.
When discussing the destination countries for US arms exports, the report’s authors note that a blackout has been imposed on the exact quantity of weapons the US sold to Ukraine in recent years. However, assessments suggest that US President Donald Trump’s administration scaled back arms sales to Ukraine compared to former president Joe Biden’s administration.
On the overall list of countries purchasing arms from the US, Saudi Arabia leads with 12%. Ukraine takes second place (9.4%), and Japan ranks third (8.9%).
Among Middle Eastern countries, Qatar is the second-largest purchaser of American arms after Saudi Arabia, while Kuwait ranks third. Israel is only 12th on the global list of countries purchasing arms from the US. In total, 3.1% of all American arms sales went to Israel.
Growth driven by air defense systems
SIPRI’s report, which summarizes arms sales up to 2025, is particularly interesting in light of declarations made by numerous countries that they would not purchase Israeli arms due to the war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza and the harm caused to the civilian Palestinian population during that conflict.
Police stand on duty as demonstrators protest outside the entrance to the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) fair at the ExCeL center, in east London, on September 9, 2025. (Toby Shepheard/AFP)
Furthermore, even though Israel required substantial quantities of weapons for its own use — due to military operations in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and even Qatar — the Israeli defense industry still managed to increase its share of global arms exports. This growth was driven by the global sales of air defense systems.
Among other findings, SIPRI’s report reveals that Israeli arms sales to Britain persisted despite domestic British criticism of Israel and announcements regarding the suspension of negotiations to upgrade the trade agreement between the two nations. In fact, Israel, supplying 8.2% of British arms purchases, is second only to the US (at 85%).
Other significant buyers of Israeli arms include South Korea, Germany, the Philippines, Singapore and Morocco. Approximately 24% of all Moroccan arms acquisitions were sourced from Israel. Denmark and Thailand also remained substantial clients of the Israeli defense industry.
According to the report, Israel sold arms to 23 countries in Europe (accounting for 41% of all Israeli arms exports), 10 countries in Asia (40%), five countries in the Americas (8.6%), and seven countries in Africa.
The report’s data indicates that the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter, Germany, saw the largest share of its weapons sales go to Ukraine (24%), followed by Egypt (14%) and Israel (10%). The high volume of German arms exports to Egypt and Israel primarily stems from submarine deals.
According to SIPRI, Israel exports arms primarily to India (56%), Germany (21%), and the US (7.8%).
During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel last month, defense deals worth approximately $10 billion were finalized between Israel and India for air defense systems and drones. These deals are not included in the current report and will be documented in the coming years.
As for Germany’s purchases from Israel, they largely consist of the Arrow missile defense system — the largest arms sale in Israel’s history.
Israel’s Arrow 3 missile defense system is handed over to the German Air Force at the Holzdorf Air Base, eastern Germany, on December 3, 2025. (Defense Ministry)
The report also addresses Iran’s arms exports and imports, and in this context, provides confirmation of the diplomatic and military ties among the states supporting Iran.
Iran ranks 25th on the list of the world’s largest arms exporters, with 73% percent of its arms sales going to Russia, 17% to Venezuela and 9% to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iran also supplies armored vehicles and transport aircraft to Sudanese forces.
Regarding Iran’s own arms procurement, the report notes that most of its missiles are produced domestically, and that Russia is the sole external arms supplier selling military equipment to Iran.
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