Pakistan: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Pakistan's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 33.9% on 2024 (from 1.07 billion to 706 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +12% and a typical year strayed about 48.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 181.8% in 1993 and the biggest yearly fall was 79.8% in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 13% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Pakistan had the 14th highest value of the 105 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Pakistan in the 2025 ranking

• Australia — 11th of 105: 826 million
• Netherlands — 12th of 105: 824 million
• United States — 13th of 105: 745 million
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 15th of 105: 697 million
• United Kingdom — 16th of 105: 609 million
• Greece — 17th of 105: 574 million

What this measures

Arms transfers (imports) 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 66 values

Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 65 million (2021)
• Algeria — 108 million (2025)
• Bahrain — 30 million (2025)
• Djibouti — 0 (2023)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 697 million (2025)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 42 million (2024)
• Iraq — 55 million (2025)
• Israel — 537 million (2025)
• Jordan — 34 million (2024)
• Kuwait — 311 million (2025)

More public sector data for Pakistan

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 11.87 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 3.34 trillion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.91% (2025)
• Battle-related deaths (number of people) — 1,534 (2024)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 943,000 (2020)
• Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 13.83% (2025)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 1.25% (2020)
• Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people) — 4.33 (2023)
• Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 127 million (2025)
• CPIA business regulatory environment rating (1=low to 6=high)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Pakistan's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)?

706 million in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 1,435% from 46 million in 1960 (4.29% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 2.23 billion in 2010 and the lowest 41 million in 1961.

How does Pakistan rank?

14th highest of 105 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) unusual for Pakistan?

In 2025, Pakistan's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 33.9% on 2024 (from 1.07 billion to 706 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +12% and a typical year strayed about 48.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.MPRT.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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