India leads developing nations in '05 arms buys

India was the biggest arms buyer among developing nations in 2005, finalising arms transfer agreements worth $5.4 billion, according to a US Congressional study.

Saudi Arabia ranked second at $3.4 billion, followed by China with $2.8 billion in such agreements, the Congressional Research Service says.

According to the study on transfer of conventional arms to developing countries between 1998-2005, India signed $12.9 billion in arms transfer agreements between 2002-2005, up from $7.8 billion in the earlier 1998-2001 period (in current dollars).

"This increase reflects the continuation of a military modernisation effort by India, underway since the 1990s, and based primarily on major arms agreements with Russia," the CRS report says.

The report also pointed out that India has expanded its weapons supplier base, purchasing the Phalcon early warning defense system aircraft in 2004 from Israel for $1.1 billion, and a myriad of items from France in 2005, in particular six Scorpene diesel attack submarines for $3.5 billion.

In 2005, Russia ranked first among suppliers in arms transfer agreements to developing nations with $7 billion or 23.2% of all such agreements, followed by France with $6.3 billion. The US came in at third with $6.2 billion in such agreements.

However, the US topped the list in actual delivery or arms during the period, valued at $8.1 billion, followed by Russia ($2.7 billion) and the United Kingdom ($2.4 billion).