A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that European states have increased their imports of major weapons by 47% in the five-year period between 2018 and 2022, largely due to tensions with Russia.
Russia's share in the global arms market fell from 22% to 16%, with India importing 37% fewer arms from Russia, and seven of Russia's other top arms recipients averaging 59% fewer imports.
In contrast, France has benefitted from weapons diversification by India and increased its share in the global market from 7.1% to 11%.
Additionally, countries in Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East have become the biggest clients of French operations.
A global trend report from multiple sources has outlined a shift within the arms trade as Russian share with India, the largest buyer of Russian weapons, depreciates.
India reduced its imports by 37% in the last five years, and seven other of Russia's top arms buyers averaged 59% fewer imports.
This fall in the Russian share happened at the same time as France increased its position in the market from 7.1% to 11%.
Meanwhile, Europe and NATO countries, in particular, have seen a sharp rise in a 47% increase in arms imports, coinciding with rising tensions with Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI, has been quoted saying, "even as arms transfers have declined globally, those to Europe have risen sharply due to tensions between Russia and most other European states", suggesting that the tensions are playing a significant role in the region's increase in demand for arms.