Hong Kong (TDI): The annual Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment has reported an increase in spending on weapons procurement and security research in some Asian countries.
The report, published on Tuesday, by London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) stated that some Asian countries have responded to the darkening global security situation by broadening their defense partnerships with the foreign states, meanwhile, trying to further boost their domestic defense industries.
It stated that due to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, joined with deteriorating US-China strategic ties and the worsening of the Asia-Pacific security situation, the Asian countries have decided to increase their defense-industrial partnerships.
It further noted, “Competitive security dynamics over simmering flashpoints… feed into the need to develop military capabilities to address them.”
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The report also highlighted that the defense spending and procurement of more weapons coupled with the increasing investment in related research and development has risen to $2.7 billion between 2022 and 2024.
Some Southeast Asian states including Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore have increased their investment to nearly $10.5 billion.
This hike came as these nations decided to spend an average of 1.5% of GDP on defense in 2024, a figure that has kept relatively constant over the last decade.
However, the report, which was released ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue defense meeting, noted that the Asia-Pacific states still rely on imports for major weapons and technological equipment.
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These items range from combat aircraft to submarines, missiles, drones, and advanced electronics related to surveillance and intelligence gathering.
Moreover, it noted that if Russia decided to prioritize its relations with China to build a hypersonic version of missiles, it could further complicate the weapons development in the region.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have also been increasingly active in recent years. The United Arab Emirates has been operating an extended network of collaborators that includes but is not limited to China’s weapon giant, NORNICO, and rival India’s Hindustan Aeronautics.
On the other hand, European companies have also expanded their regional presence through the transfer of important technology, joint ventures as well as licensed assembly deals with Asian countries, the report read.
Javaria Khalid is a writer and researcher, who specializes in Pakistan's Foreign Policy Analysis, Europe's Security, and Pakistan’s relations with the European countries and the EU. She can be reached at javariakhalid011@outlook.com
