Pakistan Topped Arms Purchasers in ‘06

* US ranked first in arms transfer agreements followed by Russia

Courtesy Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: Pakistan ranked first among all developing world recipients in the value of arms transfer agreements in 2006, concluding $5.1 billion in such agreements, with India ranking second in agreements at $3.5 billion, according to a report issued by the Congressional Research Service on September 26.

Arms transfer agreements with the top 10 developing world recipients, as a group, in 2006 totaled $22.2 billion or 77.1 percent of all such agreements with the developing world.

India was the leading developing world arms purchaser from 1999-2006, making arms transfer agreements totaling $22.4 billion during these years (in current dollars).

The total value of all arms transfer agreements with developing nations from 1999-2006 was $188.9 billion in current dollars. India alone accounted for 11.9 percent of all developing world arms transfer agreements during these eight years.

This report is prepared annually to provide Congress with official, unclassified, quantitative data on conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign countries for the preceding eight calendar years for use in its policy oversight functions.

Developing nations, the report said, continue to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales activity by weapons suppliers. During the years 1999-2006, the value of arms transfer agreements with developing nations comprised 66.4 percent of all such agreements worldwide.

US tops arms transfer agreements: In 2006, the United States ranked first in arms transfer agreements with developing nations with $10.3 billion or 35.8 percent of these agreements. Russia was second with $8.1 billion or 28.1 percent of such agreements. The United Kingdom was third with $3.1 billion or 10.8 percent.

In 2006, the United States ranked first in the value of arms deliveries to developing nations at nearly $8 billion, or 40.2 percent of all such deliveries. Russia ranked second at $5.5 billion or 27.7 percent of such deliveries. The United Kingdom ranked third at $3.3 billion or 16.6 percent of such deliveries.

9-41