Who arms the world? The leading arms exporters in 2022

In 2022, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the United States reaffirmed its status as the world’s top arms exporter, with a volume of 14,515 million (in SIPRI’s Trend Indicator Value - TIV). This figure is almost five times greater than that of France, which came in second with 3,021 million, and well over five times Russia (2,820).

Next are China (2,017), Italy (1,825), Germany (1,510), and the United Kingdom (1,504), highlighting a strong European presence among top arms suppliers.

The global arms trade is highly concentrated: the top 10 countries account for nearly all global exports. Notably, countries like Israel, Spain, Poland, and Turkey appear in the top 10, all below 1,000 TIV but playing increasingly important regional roles.

Beyond the top 10, volumes drop sharply: from South Korea (209) to Nigeria (3) and Portugal (2). A clear divide separates the global arms powers from the rest.