A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that Germany has climbed another rung in the global arms market, overtaking China and now ranking fourth for military exports in the world.
According to the institute’s data, Germany accounted for about 5.7% of global arms exports between 2021 and 2025, slightly higher than China’s 5.6%. Meanwhile, the United States continues to lead the market with about 42% of total exports. They are followed by France with 9.8% and Russia with 6.8%.
Analysts link Germany’s growing role to increased demand for defense equipment in Europe, especially after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine begins in 2022. The conflict has prompted many European countries to increase defense investments and strengthen military capabilities.
The report also notes that Ukraine has become the largest importer of arms globally during this period, accounting for about 9.7% of world imports. This development is directly related to the country’s military needs in the face of war with Russia.
According to SIPRI, the bulk of German arms purchases were made by Ukraine, Egypt and Israel. These contracts have contributed to an increase in German exports by around 15% compared to the period 2016–2020. Around a quarter of German arms exports went to Ukraine alone.
The German military industry’s arsenal includes armored vehicles, artillery ammunition and advanced air defense systems. Among the most popular equipment are the Leopard 2 tank, the KF41 Lynx combat vehicle, the Boxer armored personnel carrier and the IRIS-T SLM air defense system, which are widely used by European armies. (euronews.al)