The United Arab Emirates has become the third-biggest arms importer in the world, a leading defence think tank said.
The figures have been released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The UAE accounted for six per cent of the world's arms imports between 2004 and 2008, according to the report from SIPRI.
Only China with 11 per cent and India with seven per cent had a larger share of the market.
In the previous study, covering the period 1999-2003, the UAE was only the 16th biggest importer of military equipment worldwide.
The study also found that the average volume of worldwide arms transfers for 2004-2008 was 21 per cent higher than the period 1999-2003.
There had been a 38 per cent increase in arms transfers to the Middle East region in the latest study compared to its previous five-year survey, said SIPRI.
"During the past five years, we have seen the re-emergence of the Middle East as a major recipient of conventional weapons systems," said SIPRI researcher Pieter Wezeman.
The United States remains the biggest supplier of military equipment. Its sales account for 31 per cent of exports worldwide, ahead of Russia with 25 per cent.
© 7Days 2009
