India world's largest recipient of arms, Pak third

Stockholm:  India is the world's largest recipient of arms while South Korea is second and Pakistan and China are tied in third place, says the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in a study on international arms transfers.

The volume of worldwide arms transfers in 2007-11 was 24 per cent higher than in 2002-06 and the five largest arms importers in 2007-11 were all Asian states, said a press communique.

The data revealed that Asia and Oceania accounted for a whopping 44 per cent of global arms imports, followed by Europe 19 per cent, the Middle East 17 per cent, and the Americas 11 per cent. Africa was the lowest with 9 per cent.

India was the world's largest recipient of arms, accounting for 10 per cent of global arms imports.

The other large recipients of arms in 2007-11 were South Korea (6 per cent of arms transfers), Pakistan (5 per cent), China (5 per cent) and Singapore (4 per cent).

"Major Asian importing states are seeking to develop their own arms industries and decrease their reliance on external sources of supply," Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme, was quoted as saying.

"A large share of arms deliveries is due to licensed production."

India's neighbour China was the largest recipient of arms exports in 2002-06, but it fell to fourth place in 2007-11.

Between 2002-06 and 2007-11, the volume of Chinese arms exports increased by 95 per cent and now China ranks as the sixth largest supplier of arms in the world.

"While the volume of China's arms exports is increasing, this is largely a result of Pakistan importing more arms from China," said Paul Holtom, director of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.

"China has not yet achieved a major breakthrough in any other significant market."

The study said that major suppliers continued to deliver weapons to countries affected by the events of the Arab Spring.

Despite a review in 2011 of its arms transfer policies towards the region, the US remains a major supplier to both Tunisia and Egypt. In 2011, the US delivered 45 M-1A1 tanks to Egypt and agreed to deliver 125 more, the communique said.

"The transfer of arms to states affected by the Arab Spring has provoked public and parliamentary debate in a number of supplier states. However, the impact of these debates on states' arms export policies has, up to now, been limited," said Mark Bromley, senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.

The think-tank also noted that in 2011 Saudi Arabia placed an order with the US for 154 F-15SA combat aircraft, which was not only the most significant order placed by any state in 2011 but also the largest arms deal for at least two decades.

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PM invites allies to dinner amid Third Front chatter, Rahul is abroad

New Delhi:  One of the big challenges for the Congress in the new budget session that has begun today will be keeping its flock together - a flock that has increasingly appeared headed in different political directions. Mamata Banerjee, in particular, has been reported to be straying towards enemy lines. She has also often accused the Congress of taking allies like her for granted, and of not consulting them before announcing big-ticket policy changes.

The Prime Minister will host a dinner tomorrow night to build unity and perhaps more importantly, morale. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is likely to attend. Her son, Rahul, who accepted the responsibility for the Congress' horror story in the UP elections has travelled abroad. It is expected to be an al fresco affair at 7 Race Course Road, catered to by the ITDC, which runs Delhi's five-star Ashoka Hotel.

Since the Congress' whipping in the elections in Punjab and UP, the speculation about a Third Front that would include Ms Banerjee has reached fever pitch. Parties like Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and Naveen Patnaik's BJD have reportedly begun coveting Ms Banerjee's political support as leaders have begun contemplating the possibility of early general elections. Today, however, Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar and high on the most-wanted list for a Third Front said he does not believe mid-term polls will take place.

Ms Banerjee was invited by the Akalis to the swearing-in of their government in Punjab. She was also asked to attend Akhilesh Yadav's swearing-in as chief minister of UP. After initially indicating that she would go to both ceremonies, her party said that because the Assembly session in West Bwngal begins this week. Ms Banerjee will remain in Kolkata but will send representatives to Lucknow and Chandigarh. Her changed itinerary followed a warning from the Congress which spelled out its displeasure. Allies are expected not to cross the "Lakshman Rekha," said the Congress.

If Ms Banerjee and her 19 MPs decide to exit the UPA - she has repeatedly said that's not on her agenda - the Congress could look for more support to Mulayam Singh Yadav, whose 22 MPs have often bailed out the government by voting with the Congress on key matters.  But his total sweep of UP has gifted Mr Yadav and his young son, Akhilesh, much cachet and leverage.  Akhilesh said today that talk of a Third Front is "a good thing."

The Congress also has to contend with partners like the DMK who have vowed to reject any policy or legislation that violates federalism or the authority of state governments. 

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Talk of Third Front is a good idea: Akhilesh

New Delhi:  Akhilesh Yadav, who will soon be the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister riding a tidal wave that swept his Samajwadi Party to power, says that a Third Front is a good idea.
The 38-year-old, who won UP on a forward-looking agenda, said today that all the recent debate about a political Third Front was a good beginning. Only yesterday, his father and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had said that there was no talk of a Third Front yet.
Mulayam Singh has been one of the pivots of efforts over the years to consolidate smaller parties of the country and the Left into a non-Congress, non-BJP front as an electoral option at the Centre. Speculation about a Third Front has gained momentum ever since the Congress, which heads a troubled coalition at the Centre, got a drubbing in the assembly elections in Punjab and UP, with talk that UPA allies like Mamata Banerjee might not be averse to walking over to such a third front. This amid reports that regional parties that rule states or that sense a chance to do well in their states are now are looking at the possibility of new alignments and early general elections. Parties like the BJP and its Punjab ally Akali Dal have talked openly about early elections.

Akhilesh Yadav is not looking at early general elections. He said today that, "The chances of a mid-term poll happening doesn't look likely." Mr Yadav was also at pains to explain that his focus was UP and only that.
The SP leader did however extend an invitation to UPA partner Mamata Banerjee to attend his swearing-in ceremony. He also invited J Jayalalithaa, AIADMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister. After initially indicating that she would go attend both Mr Yadav's swearing-in and that of the Akalis in Punjab, Ms Banerjee's party said that because the Assembly session in West Bengal begins this week, Ms Banerjee will remain in Kolkata but will send representatives to Lucknow and Chandigarh. Her changed itinerary followed a warning from the Congress which spelled out its displeasure. There are reports that Ms Banerjee is being looked upon reportedly being wooed as a possible partner is there is a move to launch Third Front.
Now there are reports that Mamata Banerjee is not going to Chandigarh for the Akali swearing in, but NCP chief and another Congress ally Sharad Pawar is likely to attend.  
The Congress though can take heart from words from Bihar. Both sides of the political spectrum in the state - Lalu Prasad Yadav of the RJD and Nitish Kumar of the JD(U) - rule out the possibility of a Third Front in the near future.  Nitish Kumar who is Chief Minister of  Bihar and runs a government in partnership with the BJP said, "We can't see anything shaping up in the form of a third front right now."
Lalu Prasad was more eloquent. "It is a closed chapter. I have a bitter-sweet experience of the third front. But I see no signs of it," he said. Lalu Prasad also said he did not see the possibility of mid-term elections.

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