Latest news with #weaponsexports
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Putin says he wants boost to Russian arms exports
MOSCOW, May 23 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia needs to strengthen its position in the global arms market by increasing exports of weapons. In televised remarks, he also said the country's military complex needs more state support to develop its potential. Since Moscow sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the defence industry has been largely focused on domestic military production to support operations there. It has entailed a massive effort to build new missiles, drones and shells as well as recondition ageing Soviet-era tanks, vehicles and artillery. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russian arms exports dropped to 7.8% of the global market in the 2020-24 period, compared with 21% in the previous four-year period, as a result of international sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine and increased domestic demand for weapons. India, China and Egypt are among the biggest buyers of Russian arms. "The portfolio of orders for Russian military products is now serious. It is tens of billions of dollars. And it is necessary to actively increase the volume of export deliveries," Putin said. He also singled out weapons that utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI). "The future of the global arms market lies with such technology. Strong competition will unfold here, and is already unfolding, for which we must be prepared," Putin said. Western and Ukrainian officials acknowledge the Kremlin has done better than anyone expected when it comes to the battle to produce military equipment, but it has been hindered by increasingly stringent Western sanctions covering a growing number of industrial and other components. Last month, Putin acknowledged that Russia's armed forces remained short of certain weapons, including drones, despite a big increase in output.
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Japan flexes defense ambitions at arms show
TOKYO: Japan opened one of its largest-ever arms shows on Wednesday in a display that Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said marked the pacifist nation's deepening push for overseas defence cooperation and weapons exports. The DSEI Japan exhibition near Tokyo showcased Japanese missiles, warships and research into lasers and electromagnetic railguns. The event, double the size of the 2023 show, drew 471 firms from 33 countries, including 169 from Japan — twice as many as two years ago, according to organizer Clarion Defense & Security. 'I sincerely hope that this exhibition will provide a new opportunity for cooperation and exchange between national delegations and companies, help sustain defense industry development, drive innovation and promote peace and stability,' Nakatani said during a speech at the event. Japan has been gradually stepping back from the pacifism that was the cornerstone of decades of defense planning after the country's defeat in World War Two. It lifted a military export ban in 2014, and is taking its first steps into global defense cooperation encouraged by the United States and European partners eager to share development costs and tap Japan's industrial base. 'Strength comes from expanding and elevating the alliance's capabilities and capacity, which means leveraging our respective skills and our specialties in co-development, co-production, and co-sustainment,' US Ambassador to Japan George Glass said as he opened the DSEI US pavilion.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Japan flexes defence ambitions at arms show
TOKYO, May 21 (Reuters) - Japan opened one of its largest-ever arms shows on Wednesday in a display that Defence Minister Gen Nakatani said marked the pacifist nation's deepening push for overseas defence cooperation and weapons exports. The DSEI Japan exhibition near Tokyo showcased Japanese missiles, warships and research into lasers and electromagnetic railguns. The event, double the size of the 2023 show, drew 471 firms from 33 countries, including 169 from Japan — twice as many as two years ago, according to organiser Clarion Defence & Security. "I sincerely hope that this exhibition will provide a new opportunity for cooperation and exchange between national delegations and companies, help sustain defence industry development, drive innovation and promote peace and stability," Nakatani said during a speech at the event. Japan has been gradually stepping back from the pacifism that was the cornerstone of decades of defence planning after the country's defeat in World War Two. It lifted a military export ban in 2014, and is taking its first steps into global defence cooperation encouraged by the United States and European partners eager to share development costs and tap Japan's industrial base. "Strength comes from expanding and elevating the alliance's capabilities and capacity, which means leveraging our respective skills and our specialties in co-development, co-production, and co-sustainment," U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass said as he opened the DSEI U.S. pavilion. Amid threats from China, North Korea and Russia, Japanese firms have become more willing to seek out military business. "Our foundation goes back over 70 years with industry here. That's with the big and large heavy industry players, which makes sense, but we're seeing that now at multiple tier levels, tier one, tier two companies, even startups," said William Blair, the regional chief in Asia and India for Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab, which supplies F-35 stealth fighters, air defence radars and other equipment to Japan. Japan's partnerships in Europe include the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) jet fighter project with Britain and Italy. "With today's increasingly uncertain security environment, I believe we must respond not just domestically, but with a broader international perspective," said Katsuyuki Nabeta, a general manager at the defence and space unit of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) (7011.T), opens new tab, which is leading the Japanese portion of that advanced fighter project. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to showcase our technologies and reach a wider audience, he added at the company booth next to a model of the Mogami warship it wants to sell to Australia.
