Simple Flying’s Post

AlJazeera [excerpt]: The aggressive postures of disruptive states drove arms sales in #Europe, the #MiddleEast and #Asia during the past five years, according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). #Russia’s war in Ukraine contributed to a doubling of arms purchases in Europe in 2019-23 relative to 2014-18, the think tank said on Monday, with Ukraine becoming the largest regional importer and fourth-largest in the world. Arms exports to Asia made up the largest single chunk globally – 37 percent – with United States allies Japan, Australia and India leading the buying spree. These were “largely driven by one key factor: concern over China’s ambitions”, said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI’s arms transfers programme. Japan, for example, raised its imports two-and-a-half times over, ordering, among other things, 400 long-range missiles capable of reaching North Korea and China. ...US widens lead as top exporter Western allies are the biggest exporters, too. The surge in spending by allies helped the US widen its lead as a top arms exporter, reaching 42 percent of the global market, up from 34 percent in 2013-18. That is partly because the US is the only country with an exportable fifth-generation combat aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II, and many of its allies are now transitioning their air forces to adopt the aircraft’s stealth technology. Europe has almost 800 next-generation fighter planes on order, including the F-35, the Eurofighter Typhoon and France’s Rafale. But the pattern of upticks in sales to key Western allies, comprising eight of the top 10 arms importers, suggests the bigger reasons are political. Other Western arms producers have also benefitted. France raised exports almost by half to beat Russia to second place, and Italy nearly doubled them. ...#China, in contrast, sold 5.8 percent, with 60 percent of its exports going to Pakistan, and most of the rest to Bangladesh and Thailand. Russia, once the US’s great rival in arms sales, halved its exports to 11 percent of the global share – partly due to husbanding its resources to fight Ukraine, but also due to a longer decline predating its full-scale invasion. Russian exports have been falling partly because China, a major client since the 1990s, has increasingly been building its own weapons, and India, a long-term buyer of Russian weapons, is beginning to question Russia’s technologies and ability to deliver. “India seems to be moving away from Russian equipment,” said Wezeman. “There have been some orders that haven’t led to deliveries yet, for example, the nuclear powered submarine which Russia is supposed to deliver this year or next, some frigates, a few aircraft.” “We also see what seems to be a disappointment on the Indian side about the technical level of the Russian equipment which they have acquired, and therefore a shift to other suppliers such as France and Israel in the past 20 years, and the US.” #news

09/19/2024 World Ukraine and Russia at War Exclusive: Ammunition from India enters Ukraine, raising Russian ire September 19, 20247:09 AM GMT+2Updated 2 hours ago NEW DELHI, Sept 19 - Artillery shells sold by Indian arms makers have been diverted by European customers to Ukraine and New Delhi has not intervened to stop the trade despite protests from Moscow, according to eleven Indian and European government and defence industry officials, as well as a Reuters analysis of commercially available customs data. The transfer of munitions to support Ukraine's defence against Russia has occurred for more than a year, according to the sources and the customs data. Indian arms export regulations limit the use of weaponry to the declared purchaser, who risks future sales being terminated if unauthorised transfers occur. The Kremlin has raised the issue on at least two occasions, including during a July meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart, three Indian officials said. Details of the ammunition transfers are reported by a reporter for the first time. The foreign and defence ministries of Russia and India did not respond to questions. In January, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a news conference that India had not sent or sold artillery shells to Ukraine. Two Indian government and two defence industry sources told Reuters that Delhi produced only a very small amount of the ammunition being used by Ukraine, with one official estimating that it was under 1% of the total arms imported by Kyiv since the war. The news agency couldn't determine if the munitions were resold or donated to Kyiv by the European customers. Among the European countries sending Indian munitions to Ukraine are Italy and the Czech Republic, which is leading an initiative to supply Kyiv with artillery shells from outside the European Union, according to a Spanish and a senior Indian official, as well as a former top executive at Yantra India, a state-owned company whose munitions are being used by Ukraine. The Indian official said that Delhi was monitoring the situation. But, along with a defence industry executive with direct knowledge of the transfers, he said India had not taken any action to throttle the supply to Europe. Like most of the 20 people interviewed by Reuters, they spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. The Ukrainian, Italian, Spanish and Czech defence ministries did not respond to requests for comment. Delhi and Washington, Ukraine's main security backer, have recently strengthened defence and diplomatic cooperation against the backdrop of a rising China, which both regard as their main rival. Page 1 continue Indian Army soldiers participate in a mock drill exercise during the Army Day parade in New Delhi, India, January 15, 2016.

Turkey has implemented a broad ban on defense exports to India following the cancellation of a contract with a Turkish shipbuilding firm. This decision, revealed during a private session in the Turkish Parliament, underscores the worsening relations between Turkey and India, fueled by their divergent views on various geopolitical matters. Turkey's growing alignment with Pakistan, especially on the Kashmir issue, has further strained the relationship. Turkey is also in talks to involve Pakistan in its 5th-generation fighter jet program, further solidifying their defense cooperation. In response, India has strengthened its alliances with Turkey's adversaries, such as Armenia, Cyprus, and Greece.

Via EUobserver: US and EU top arms sales to Middle East and Israel "Israel can't fight this war without Western missiles and artillery shells," Robert Baer, a US expert on Middle East security, previously told EUobserver. The US and EU are supplying the most weapons to the Middle East, including to Israel, as the Gaza war threatens to ignite a regional conflict. The US, France, Italy, and Germany together supplied 81 percent of Middle East arms imports in the 2019-2023 period, said the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), a Swedish think-tank, on Monday (11 March). Israel was the world's 15th-biggest importer. And "the US accounted for 69 percent and Germany for 30 percent of arms imports by Israel," Sipri said. The US supplies ammunition and combat aircraft being used by Israel in Gaza. Germany's biggest deal involved four submarines, but Israel has also requested to buy 10,000 German tank shells since the Gaza war began on 7 October 2023. Meanwhile, according to the latest EU figures on the subject consulted by EUobserver, France, Romania, the Czech Republic, Italy, and the Netherlands were also top exporters to Israel. The Czechs, Germany, and Slovakia granted export licences for over €10m of "ammunition" to Israel in 2022, the EU report said. Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Portugal granted Israel-export licences for €23m of "bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles", the EU said. And going back to Sipri's study, Israel also came out as the world's ninth-biggest arms exporter — showing another facet of EU-Israeli defence ties. See detailed data on EU ARMS EXPORTS PER DESTINATION IN 2022 https://lnkd.in/ezpaXFYr https://lnkd.in/ePSMHQDP

The global formal arms trade is a very slow, illiquid market. If not for the 2022 Ukraine war, arms sales would move slowly. But the Ukraine conflict is burning up arms, ammo. S Korea should be flourishing then - cos cheap, and good and available? Not really. First, the world is short of USSR-Russian arms and ammo, both sides use these weapons and burn through them awfully quick. There are still more Soviet-era T-64s in Ukrainian army than all the modern Western tanks in their OBAT. That will change once the Leopard 1s (also Soviet-era, but NATO ones) arrive. If they arrive. "To tap into markets such as India and Indonesia, Seoul needs to focus on its geopolitical relationships as much as price. " Okay, Indonesia also has tanks to sell. I AM SERIOUS. And they are cheaper than the Korean ones. As good as? Dunno, no one has demo'ed one yet. But Indonesia needs naval and air assets more than tanks - but has no money. (Also they tried to steal KF21 secrets with a USB drive) "But South Korea has not yet maximized its biggest potential market, which is on its doorstep in the Indo-Pacific. Countries from India to the Philippines, which confront real military threats and stretched defense budgets, are looking for alternatives. To win them over, Seoul needs to focus as much on geopolitics as on finance and technology." "Commercial South Korean manufacturers already excel in selling to South and Southeast Asia. Seoul is trying to expand its support to defense exporters. When a multibillion-dollar deal with Poland struggled to achieve financial closure, legislators increased the export-import bank’s capitalization to match the scale of the transaction. A Polish delegation visited Seoul this week to try and hammer out the details." Yes, but only if the buyers are 1st world. Philippines, Indonesia, India - cannot afford Korean arms. And for Korea to use political goodwill to get the deals risks offending China, and more importantly the Korean voting constituents. In short, the most convenient strategy is for Korea to supplement US arms to Canda, Australia, UK, Poland so that they can mothball these arms, sell them to US-NATO to resell them to Ukraine.

🇮🇳🇺🇦Munitions imported by Kyiv from Delhi since the war began equate to under 1%📊 Unknown if resold or donated to Kyiv by European customers*🇪🇺 India’s traditional cooperation with Russia includes decades as a primary arms supplier and refusal of Prime Minister Modi to join sanctions regime against Moscow🇷🇺 Perhaps the rising rival of a China has made this a symbolic decision by India to send a subtle message to Washington and Moscow🇷🇺🇨🇳🗺️🇺🇸🇪🇺 India wishes to demonstrate to nations in the West that in the #RussiaUkrainewar they are not on either side and leverage rests with Modi, not Putin. See comments⬇️ 🇨🇳⚖️🇷🇺 #sanctions 🇮🇳🗺️🇨🇳 #border 🇷🇺💎🇮🇳 #trade [Reuters excerpt] Artillery shells sold by Indian arms makers have been diverted by European customers to Ukraine and New Delhi has not intervened to stop the trade despite protests from Moscow, according to eleven Indian and European government and defence industry officials, as well as a Reuters analysis of commercially available customs data. The transfer of munitions to support #Ukraine's defence against Russia has occurred for more than a year, according to the sources and the customs data. Indian arms export regulations limit the use of weaponry to the declared purchaser, who risks future sales being terminated if unauthorised transfers occur. The Kremlin has raised the issue on at least two occasions including during a July meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart, three Indian officials said. [later] Delhi, long the world's largest weapons importer, also sees the lengthy war in Europe as an opportunity to develop its nascent arms export sector, according to six Indian sources familiar with official thinking. Ukraine, which is battling to contain a Russian offensive toward the eastern logistics hub of Pokrovsk, has a dire shortage of artillery ammunition. The White House declined to comment and the U.S. State Department referred questions on Delhi's arms exports to the Indian government. India exported just over $3 billion of arms between 2018 and 2023, according to data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute think-tank. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at an Aug. 30 conference that #defence #exports surpassed $2.5 billion in the last fiscal year and that Delhi wanted to increase that to about $6 billion by 2029. Commercially available customs records show that in the two years before the February 2022 invasion, three major Indian ammunition makers -Yantra, Munitions India and Kalyani Strategic Systems - exported just $2.8 million in munitions components to Italy and the Czech Republic, as well as Spain and Slovenia, where defence contractors have invested heavily in #supplychains for Ukraine. Between February 2022 and July 2024, the figure had increased to $135.25 million, the data show, including completed munitions, which India began exporting to the four #nations.

Fear of China, Russia and Iran is driving weapons sales: Report The US and France led global arms exports to allies in the past five years, as Russian sales collapsed. The aggressive postures of disruptive states drove arms sales in Europe, the Middle East and Asia during the past five years, according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Russia’s war in Ukraine contributed to a doubling of arms purchases in Europe in 2019-23 relative to 2014-18, the think tank said on Monday, with Ukraine becoming the largest regional importer and fourth-largest in the world. Arms exports to Asia made up the largest single chunk globally – 37 percent – with United States allies Japan, Australia and India leading the buying spree. These were “largely driven by one key factor: concern over China’s ambitions”, said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI’s arms transfers program. Japan, for example, raised its imports two-and-a-half times over, ordering, among other things, 400 long-range missiles capable of reaching North Korea and China. US allies Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia also led purchases in the Middle East, which accounted for 30 percent of global imports. Article continues, please see full report: https://lnkd.in/edTkRubq

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a decree of the State Council to unveil regulations on export control of so-called dual use items, which will take effect on Dec. 1, 2024. The regulations aim to improve transparency and standardization of export control policies and to boost export control capabilities of items that may be used either for civilian or military purposes. The US says Beijing is supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine by supplying dual use goods, including microelectronics, that can help it build weapons. China says it has not provided weaponry to any party, and that normal trade with Russia should not be interrupted. https://lnkd.in/de7hsyZt

Ekonomichna Pravda has published an article about exporting Ukrainian weaponry abroad based on data from Tech Force in UA. Ekonomichna Pravda has recently released an article discussing the export of Ukrainian weaponry abroad, based on data from Tech Force in UA. The article provides an analysis of the current state of Ukrainian arms exports, highlighting key trends and challenges faced by Ukrainian manufacturers in international markets. According to a survey conducted by TFUA among 35 companies involved in defense contracts, concerning results were revealed. Specifically, 38% of companies reported that over half of their production capacities are currently idle, while only a third of enterprises are operating at full capacity. This situation is forcing Ukrainian manufacturers to consider relocating abroad due to underutilized production lines and a lack of funding for development. TFUA’s Executive Director, Kateryna Mykhalko, stated, "Our manufacturers are finding it difficult to move their business abroad due to associated risks and problems. However, for the further development of production, it seems they are forced to consider this option." Additionally, TFUA’s survey revealed that 85% of companies have either considered or taken steps to move part of their business abroad. This is mainly due to the lack of export opportunities, insufficient state orders, and short-term contracts. To address these challenges, TFUA proposed the creation of a new arms export policy, which would include an additional regulatory body to assist in decision-making regarding the export of military equipment. For more details, you can check out the link: https://t.ly/CN7Ev

🌍 In 2023, Germany's arms exports soared to a record high, reaching €11.7 billion, with weapons accounting for €6.1 billion. Despite promises for stricter restrictions on arms sales, the government's preliminary figures reveal a significant increase, partly fueled by the war in Ukraine. Kyiv was authorized to receive over €4.1 billion in military exports from Germany in 2023, a substantial increase from the €2.24 billion worth of authorized exports in 2022. The conflict-ridden region has become a focal point for German arms shipments, highlighting the geopolitical complexities at play. Israel, embroiled in a prolonged conflict with Hamas, also featured among the top ten intended recipients, with €323 million earmarked for the nation. This figure represents a tenfold increase over 2022, as reported by German public broadcaster ARD. Apart from Ukraine, other top recipients in 2023 included Norway (€1.2 billion), Hungary (€1 billion), the UK (€655 million), and the U.S. (€545 million). Poland, France, Israel, South Korea, and Cyprus also featured prominently among the top ten. As the Berlin government prepares to release the official tally for all of 2023 in the coming weeks, the spike in arms exports prompts renewed scrutiny on Germany's arms trade policies. 🌐🤝 #ArmsTrade #Germany #Ukraine #MilitaryExports #Geopolitics