Kazakhstan has emerged as the only country in Central Asia and the Caucasus to rank among the world’s top 40 arms importers over the past five years, according to Eurasianet, citing a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The report also highlights a major shift in the global arms trade, with Russia losing ground as a key supplier.
Between 2020 and 2024, Kazakhstan’s arms purchases accounted for just under 1% of total global imports, placing the country 26th in the rankings. Nearly 90% of these imports came from Russia, reinforcing Moscow’s role as the country’s main supplier. However, Kazakhstan’s overall share of global arms imports was slightly lower than in the previous five-year period.
Despite years of tension and conflict, Armenia and Azerbaijan did not make the top 40 list. However, both nations have been ramping up their military purchases—Armenia sourcing weapons from Russia and India, while Azerbaijan has been buying arms from Turkey, Pakistan, Israel, and Russia. Their defense spending is set to rise even further in 2025. Azerbaijan’s military budget will reach a record $4.9bn, more than doubling its 2020 spending. Armenia is also increasing its budget to $1.7bn, a 20% jump from last year.
For Russia, the report paints a picture of a once-dominant arms exporter struggling to keep its place. Its global arms sales have plunged by 64% in the past five years, with its market share dropping to 7.8%—down sharply from 21% in the previous period. SIPRI notes that this decline began even before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with exports in 2020 and 2021 already at their lowest levels in two decades.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to dominate the global arms trade, controlling 43% of the market. Ukraine has emerged as the world’s top arms importer, reflecting the ongoing impact of the war.
The impact of these arms imports is evident in Kazakhstan’s rising position in the Global Firepower index. According to the index, Kazakhstan emerged as Central Asia’s strongest military power. Also, we saw Kazakhstan participating in the UN peace mission in Golan Heights. Further demonstrating its military modernization efforts, Kazakhstan has also expressed interest in purchasing Rafael fighter jets from France to diversify its military and decrease its dependence on Russian equipment.
Given China’s growing presence in the region, it is also possible that Kazakhstan is exploring arms imports from this country too. Vise Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan Sultan Kamelitdinov noted in 2023 that Kazakhstan is considering purchases from Russia, Turkey, The US, China, and other nations. Reinforcement of its commitment to military development, Kazakhstan increased its defense spending to 1 % of its GDP in 2023.
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