Page 10 - ADT APRIL 2022 Online Magazine

Thailand, according to SIPRI data. The U.S. was a distant second,

and Germany were third and fourth on the list, with China lagging
further behind, with sales worth US$2.6 billion in the same period.
Behind China was South Korea.

There are multiple reasons why Russian arms have wide accep-
with sales worth US$7.9 billion over the last two decades. France [ REPORT ]
tance in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Unlike U.S. or European
competitors that must abide by strict or even stifling export regula-
tions, Russian companies have an easier time selling weapons to
countries in the region. The weapons are also significantly cheaper
Tough Given the current situation, analysts expect countries in Southeast
and comes with not many political strings attached.

Asia to stay away from Russian arms, at least in the short term. The
U.S., which has been supplying arms and working assiduously to
keep friendly countries in the region happy as part of its attempt
Times to counter China, is likely to act against any country that continues
to buy weapons from Russia, they say.

Sanctions Will Hurt
The sanctions imposed on Russia by the Biden administration in
Ahead early March sanctions on Russia's economy also target 22 Russian
entities that make combat aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, infan-
try fighting vehicles, missiles and electronic warfare systems. In
2015, the U.S. had acted against Russian state arms export agency
Rosoboronexport and four Russian defense industry enterprises
for alleged violations of a nonproliferation and missile technology
control regime. The 2015 punitive measures had caused a dent in
SANCTIONS ON RUSSIAN weapons sales by Russia and analysts expect more of the same
DEFENCE COMPANIES IN THE this time as well.
WAKE OF THE COUNTRY’S
AGGRESSION ON UKRAINE WILL “MY VIEW IS THAT IT’S GOING TO BE VERY HARD
AFFECT THE COUNTRY’S ARMS FOR ANYONE TO BUY MAJOR WEAPON SYSTEMS
EXPORTS FROM MOSCOW IN THE COMING MONTHS AND
YEARS, GIVEN SWEEPING FINANCIAL SANCTIONS

Arun Sivasankaran THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, WITH THE SUPPORT
OF CONGRESS HAS LEVELED,” Donald Lu, assistant
Russian arms suppliers are likely to feel the secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, told a
ramifications of the war on Ukraine long after Senate Foreign Relations subpanel at a recent hearing on the
peace returns to the ravaged country. The U.S. relationship with India.
war will impact weapons sales by the coun- IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR ANY COUNTRY TO
try’s defence contractors to Southeast Asia CONTINUE PURCHASING MILITARY EQUIPMENT
and the Middle East, two regions where they FROM RUSSIA AFTER THE U.S. SANCTIONS ON
have had significant success in the last two
decades. According to Stockholm International MOSCOW, he added.
Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia was
Southeast Asia's leading arms supplier between Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor from the University of New
2000 and 2019, selling around US$10.7 billion South Wales in Australia, is of the same view as Lu. Arms pro-
worth of defence equipment to the region. curements and bilateral exercises with Russia "will remain highly
sensitive even after the war in Ukraine ends. Most regional states
Between 2015 and 2021, Russia sold US $247 and ASEAN itself will adopt a cautious wait and see posture in
million worth of arms to Myanmar, US$105 mil- order not to raise tensions or incur punitive sanctions with the US
lion worth to Laos, and $47 million worth to and European states," said Thayer.

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