Middle income: Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 2.3% from 2.48 billion in 2019 (0.46% a year on average, compounded). Since 1960 it is up 700% from 317 million in 1960 (3.3% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 53 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Arms transfers (exports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.

Limitations: SIPRI calculates the volume of transfers to, from and between all parties using the TIV and the number of weapon systems or subsystems delivered in a given year. This data is intended to provide a common unit to allow the measurement if trends in the flow of arms to particular countries and regions over time. Therefore, the main priority is to ensure that the TIV system remains consistent over time, and that any changes introduced are backdated. SIPRI TIV figures do not represent sales prices for arms transfers.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 12 values

Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in nearby economies

• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 2 million (2024)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 80 million (2025)
• Israel — 2.62 billion (2025)
• Jordan — 226 million (2024)
• Libya — 0 (2016)
• Pakistan — 127 million (2025)
• Qatar — 2 million (2025)
• Saudi Arabia — 3 million (2023)
• United Arab Emirates — 33 million (2025)

More public sector data for Middle income

• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 12.46 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.88% (2025)
• Military expenditure (current USD) — 753.26 billion (2025)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 17.48 million (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 0.69% (2020)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 5.82% (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 18.01% (2023)
• Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue) — 33.54% (2023)
• Taxes on international trade (% of revenue) — 4.4% (2023)

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Questions people ask

What is Middle income's arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values)?

2.54 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 700% from 317 million in 1960 (3.3% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 3.95 billion in 2016 and the lowest 80 million in 1961.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://armstransfers.sipri.org/ArmsTransfer/.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.XPRT.KD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://armstransfers.sipri.org/ArmsTransfer/ Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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