Germany and India have agreed to expand cooperation in the defence sector during talks in Ahmedabad. A declaration of intent was signed during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit, with plans including submarine construction in India and wider cooperation covering defence, technology, jobs, and critical resources.
Global defence revenues surged to a record $679 billion in 2024, driven by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and rising geopolitical tensions, according to new SIPRI data. The world’s 100 biggest arms makers saw sales grow 5.9 percent, with strong increases in Europe and steady dominance by U.S. firms. SpaceX entered the Top 100 for the first time, while China posted a rare decline due to procurement disruptions.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute found the number of personnel deployed on peacekeeping operations around the world fell by over 40 percent between the years 2015 and 2024 because of budget cuts, refusal of host states and geopolitical tensions, and noted the growing reliance being placed on private military companies.
As NATO races to supply Ukraine before Trump takes office, Europe is struggling to touch two percent of its GDP on defence expenditure while Russia plans to spend more than 32 percent of its national budget on its military.
The list of 51 items proposed consists of a range of equipment and includes fighter aircraft, amphibian aircraft, tanks, artillery, small arms among others.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday warned that nuclear security and proliferation in India’s neighborhood remained “a serious threat” and called for the country’s policy-makers to factor in the deterioration in the international strategic and political environment while drawing up India’s future policies.
“Our only major worry is…there is always the danger and threat of Pakistani nuclear arsenal going into the hands of militants, terrorists,” Antony said, when asked to react to the SIPRI assessment.
