Germany Overtakes China Among World’s Largest Arms Exporters Over the Past Five Years

During the 2021–2025 period, Germany ranked fourth among the world’s largest arms exporters, surpassing China.

This is according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

According to the study, Germany’s share of the global arms market rose to 5.7%, while China accounted for 5.6%.

Although the gap is minimal, it reflects a broader trend among European manufacturers, which have been increasing production capacity amid rising demand following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The main recipients of German weapons were Ukraine, Egypt, and Israel.

Meanwhile, China is showing a slowdown in arms exports. The study notes that Beijing is focusing on supplying its own armed forces and gradually transitioning to fully domestic production of complex systems.

The main buyer of Chinese weapons remains Pakistan, which accounts for about 80% of all overseas arms deliveries from China.

Overall, the top five global arms exporters in 2021–2025 are:

• United States — 42%
• France — 9.8%
• Russia — 6.8%
• Germany — 5.7%
• China — 5.6%

Although Russia still holds third place, its figures have collapsed by 64% compared with the previous five-year period. This creates conditions for Germany and China to move further up the ranking.

Germany’s export potential

At present, one of Germany’s main export directions in the defense industry remains heavy armored vehicles, artillery ammunition, and air defense systems.

The Leopard 2 tanks, KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicles, and Boxer wheeled armored personnel carriers form the backbone of Europe’s armored vehicle fleet.

Meanwhile, IRIS-T SLM air defense systems have become one of the key elements of the European Sky Shield Initiative, aimed at strengthening the air defense of European countries.

In addition, Germany exports submarines and surface warships. In particular, products from German shipyards can be seen in the navies of countries in the Middle East and Asia.