Amid a Global Arms Boom, China Confronts Delays, Scrutiny, and a Rare Drop in Defense Sales

Iraqi army officers inspect Chinese weapon systems on display at the 13th International Defence Exhibition Iraq (IQDEX) in Baghdad on April 20, 2025. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)

Sales by the world’s top 100 arms makers reached a record $679 billion last year, as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza boosted demand, researchers said Monday, but production issues hampered deliveries.

The figure was 5.9 percent higher than the year before, and, over the 2015-2024 period, revenues for the top 100 arms makers have risen 26 percent according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

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by Agence France-Presse

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