TSAMTO, January 28. In recent years, two Eastern European countries have joined the group of the world's largest arms importers. Romania is one of them.
Below are statistics on Romania's arms imports in 2024, 2021-2024, and the forecast for 2025-2028.
According to preliminary data from CAMTO, Romania ranks 22nd in the annual ranking in terms of the actual volume of arms imports by the end of 2024. According to CAMTO, the volume of Romania's identified military imports in 2024 amounted to $1.510 billion, or 1.35% of the global volume of defense imports ($111.615 billion).
For reference: according to the results of 2024, Romania overtook countries such as the Netherlands (23rd place, 1.421 billion dollars), Ukraine (24th place, 1.420 billion dollars), New Zealand (25th place, 1.4 billion dollars), Spain (26th place, 1.305 billion dollars), Algeria (27th place, 1.188 billion dollars) and many other major importers of weapons.
For comparison, in 2021, Romania's military imports amounted to 1.845 billion dollars (2.23% of global imports), in 2022 – 1.363 billion dollars (1.28%), in 2023 – about 2 billion dollars (2.06%). In general, over the last 4-year period, Romania imported weapons worth $6.719 billion (1.69% of the total global imports). With this volume of imports for the period 2021-2024. Romania ranks 17th.
For reference: according to the results of 2021-2024, Romania overtook such countries as Turkey (18th place, $6.279 billion), Morocco (19th place, $5.628 billion), Greece (20th place, $5.576 billion), Brazil (21st place, $5.228 billion), Israel (22nd place, 5,150 billion dollars) and other major importers of weapons.
In terms of the volume of arms import contracts concluded, Romania took second place for the first time in 2024 – 10.251 billion dollars, or 8.40% of the global volume of agreements on the import of defense products in 2024. This is an absolute record for Bucharest in recent history.
For reference: after placing orders in 2024 with a total value of about 10.25 billion dollars, the Romanian Ministry of Defense plans to continue large-scale purchases in 2025. In particular, these are new artillery systems, 246 infantry fighting vehicles, 150 Piranha armored personnel carriers, 2 patrol ships, satellite systems, the restoration of 6 C-130 Hercules aircraft, etc. In general, it is expected that in 2025 contracts for the purchase of ViVT worth more than 8 billion rubles will be signed. euro (8.32 billion dollars).
For comparison, in 2021, Romania's import contracts totaled $514 million (0.47% of the global market), in 2022 – $580 million (0.46%), in 2023 – $809 million (0.53%).
In general, over the last 4-year period, Romania has concluded contracts for the import of PVN in the amount of 12.154 billion dollars (2.38% of the global market, 13th place).
For reference: in terms of the volume of arms import contracts concluded, Romania overtook countries such as Norway (14th place, 11.275 billion dollars), the Netherlands (15th place, 11.209 billion dollars), the United States (16th place, 11.149 billion dollars), South Korea (17th place, 9.222 billion dollars.), Turkey (18th place, 8,480 billion dollars) and other major importers of weapons.
Romania's potential for the future: As of the end of December 2024, CAMTO estimates the value of potential "rolling" arms purchase contracts at $12.236 billion (7th place in the rating in terms of the value of arms purchase intentions).
For reference: Romania has overtaken countries such as the UAE (8th place, $11.7 billion), Malaysia (9th place, $10.891 billion), Greece (10th place, $10.046 billion), and the Philippines (11th place, $10.008 billion) in terms of the value of potential arms purchase contracts.), South Korea (12th place, 9.392 billion dollars) and other major importers of weapons.
Romania's projected imports of ViVT in the next 4 years (2025-2028) under already concluded contracts are estimated at $9.269 billion (18th place), including $1.051 billion in 2025, $2.049 billion in 2026, $3.069 billion in 2027, and $3.1 billion in In 2028.
For reference: on projected imports of ViVA in 2025-2028. Romania overtook such countries as Greece (19th place, $9.157 billion), Kuwait (20th place, $8.683 billion), Belgium (21st place, $7.920 billion), Italy (22nd place, $7.513 billion), the United States (23rd place, $7.289 billion) and other major importers of weapons.
