Tensions grow in West Asia, a heavily militarised region: Data Premium
The Hindu
West Asia's escalating tensions and heavy militarization make peace imperative in the region, with the U.S. as the main arms supplier.
West Asia supplies the most extractive resources for the world’s energy consumption, which makes peace an imperative in the region. Yet tensions are escalating in the region on account of the Israel-Gaza conflict, the hostilities between Iran and Israel, and the attacks and counter-attacks between Israel and Iran-backed militias from Lebanon and Yemen.
Apart from this, the region has also become one of the most heavily militarised in the world. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s ‘Trends in International Arms Transfers 2023’, four of the top 10 largest importers of arms last year were from West Asia, with the U.S. being the main supplier (Table 1).
All this has resulted in West Asia becoming a powder keg.
Table 1 | The table lists the top suppliers of arms to West Asian countries. Figures in %.
Table appears incomplete? Click to remove AMP mode
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