United Arab Emirates: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, United Arab Emirates' arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 20.1% on 2024 (from 1.09 billion to 868 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +15.1% and a typical year strayed about 59.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 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 1,373.3% in 1989 and the biggest yearly fall was 83% in 1979. 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 15% 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, United Arab Emirates had the 9th 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 United Arab Emirates in the 2025 ranking

• Germany — 6th of 105: 1.63 billion
• Indonesia — 7th of 105: 1.28 billion
• Qatar — 8th of 105: 1.05 billion
• Philippines — 10th of 105: 846 million
• Australia — 11th of 105: 826 million
• Netherlands — 12th of 105: 824 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 58 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 United Arab Emirates

• Armed forces personnel, total — 63,000 (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 1.02% (2020)
• Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 33 million (2025)
• Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score (scale 0-100) — 90 (2024)
• Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 3 data products score (scale 0-100) — 70.41 (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 1.45 billion (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 0.07% (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — 7.87 billion (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is United Arab Emirates's arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values)?

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

How has it changed since 1968?

It is up 6,577% from 13 million in 1968 (7.65% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 2.32 billion in 2013 and the lowest 12 million in 1969.

How does United Arab Emirates rank?

9th highest of 105 economies with data for 2025.

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

In 2025, United Arab Emirates' arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) fell 20.1% on 2024 (from 1.09 billion to 868 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +15.1% and a typical year strayed about 59.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 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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