Pakistan

According to the country’s Federal Budgets for 2015-16 and 2016-17, Pakistan has increased defence spending, for two consecutive years, by some 10-11%, when compared to the respective previous years. Specifically, the amount allocated for the Ministry of Defence for the year 2016-17 was approximately 860 Rs billion (about 8.2 billion US dollars), whereas for 2015-16 it was some 781 Rs billion (about 7.5 billion US dollars). This double-digit increase, is quite in line with the Defence Budget increases the country exhibits in recent years. Of the 860 Rs billion (8.2 billion US dollars) allocated for 2016-17, 327 Rs billion (3.1 billion US dollars) was to be spent on personnel, while operating expenses were to amount to some 216 Rs billion (2.1 billion US dollars). Maintenance of infrastructure and construction of new buildings was to further account for 105 Rs billion (1 Billion US dollars), while Pakistani authorities were to allocate approximately 212 Rs billion (2.02 billion US dollars) on the procurement of new military equipment and materiel.

According to the country’s Federal Budgets for 2015-16 and 2016-17, Pakistan has increased defence spending, for two consecutive years, by some 10-11%, when compared to the respective previous years. Specifically, the amount allocated for the Ministry of Defence for the year 2016-17 was approximately 860 Rs billion (about 8.2 billion US dollars), whereas for 2015-16 it was some 781 Rs billion (about 7.5 billion US dollars). This double-digit increase, is quite in line with the Defence Budget increases the country exhibits in recent years. Of the 860 Rs billion (8.2 billion US dollars) allocated for 2016-17, 327 Rs billion (3.1 billion US dollars) was to be spent on personnel, while operating expenses were to amount to some 216 Rs billion (2.1 billion US dollars). Maintenance of infrastructure and construction of new buildings was to further account for 105 Rs billion (1 Billion US dollars), while Pakistani authorities were to allocate approximately 212 Rs billion (2.02 billion US dollars) on the procurement of new military equipment and materiel.
 
According to SIPRI, three of the five largest buyers of major defence equipment on a global basis, are located in Asia & Oceania, namely India, China and Pakistan. More specifically, Pakistan is reported to have spent in total some 7.76 Billion US$ at constant (1990) prices for the purchase of defence equipment, over the period 2010-2016.
 
China has a leading role in Pakistan’s armament imports. Apart from the Asian country, other countries that exported in large quantities arms to Pakistan, over the same period, were the US, Italy, Sweden, Russia Italy, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey. It is important to note that the US and China accounted for some 83% of the country’s total arms imports over the period (China-56.7%; the US- 26.13%).

Aircraft were the predominant type of imports for the period 2010-2016, with a total amount of some 3.52 Billion US$ at constant (1990) prices being spent in this direction. Other directions where most funds were invested, were that of Missiles (some 1.15 Billion US$ at constant (1990) prices), Armoured Vehicles (1.12 Billion US$ at constant (1990) prices), Ships (850 Million US$ at constant (1990) prices) and Air Defence systems (415 Million US$ at constant (1990) prices).

In 2015, Pakistan received 15 ScanEagle UAVs from the US, of a total value of 30 million US dollars. The contract was processed via the FMF (Foreign Military Financing) aid route. Additionally, amongst other items, from 2012 to 2014, Pakistan received in total 45 APG-68 V9 combat aircraft radars, from the US, for the modernization of an equivalent amount of F-16A combat aircraft, to the F-16C level (F-16AM or F-16MLU).