RECENT TRENDS IN ARMS TRANSFER : IMPLICATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

This article examines the recent trends in the international transfer of conventional arms and their implications for global and regional security. It analyzes the changing dynamics of the arms market in the late Cold War, including the emergence of new supplier nations from the Third World and the increasing sophistication of the weaponry being traded. The study explores the motivations of both suppliers and recipients, from the geopolitical interests of the superpowers to the security dilemmas of developing countries. The research assesses the impact of these arms transfers on regional conflicts, arguing that the proliferation of advanced conventional weapons was making wars more destructive and harder to resolve. The paper also discusses the largely ineffective international efforts to control the arms trade. The analysis concludes by highlighting the destabilizing effects of the unchecked arms trade and the urgent need for greater transparency and multilateral control.

The international arms trade in the late 1980s was characterized by a series of significant and often destabilizing trends. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of these trends and their implications for international security. The study begins by identifying the key shifts in the global arms market. While the United States and the Soviet Union remained the dominant suppliers, a new tier of "second-line" suppliers, including several developing countries, was emerging, making the market more competitive and complex. Another critical trend analyzed is the increasing technological sophistication of the weapons being transferred, with advanced missiles, aircraft, and electronic warfare systems becoming more widely available. The core of the paper is an assessment of the impact of these transfers on regional security. It uses examples from ongoing conflicts, such as the Iran-Iraq War, to illustrate how the continuous supply of arms from external powers fueled and prolonged hostilities. The analysis argues that the proliferation of advanced weaponry was eroding traditional military balances and increasing the risk of pre-emptive strikes in several volatile regions. The final section of the paper examines the state of international arms control efforts, finding them to be weak and largely ineffective in the face of powerful political and commercial interests. The findings paint a grim picture of an international system where the largely unregulated trade in conventional weapons posed a significant and growing threat to global peace and stability.