Myanmar’s Military Imports Weapons from Various Countries to Suppress Opposition

The UN has recently disclosed a report exposing that the Myanmar military has imported a minimum of $1 billion in arms and raw materials to manufacture weapons since the February 2021 coup. Russia and China are identified as the primary suppliers of advanced weapons systems to the Myanmar military, accounting for over $400 million and $260 million, respectively. Additionally, the report uncovers the critical role of arms dealers based in Singapore in sustaining the operations of Myanmar's weapons factories. Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, has called for a comprehensive prohibition on the sale or transfer of weapons to the Myanmar military and urged Member States to enforce existing bans while coordinating sanctions on arms dealers and foreign currency sources.

The key weapon suppliers to the Myanmar military include:

China: The primary source of fighter aircraft, armored vehicles, guns, and naval ships.

Russia: The main provider of surface-to-air missiles and other advanced weapons systems, such as Yak-130 aircraft and Mi-35 helicopters.

India: A supplier of torpedoes, artillery guns, and radars.

Israel: A supplier of drones, rifles, and armored personnel carriers.

Ukraine: A supplier of tanks and armored vehicles.

Singapore: A crucial source of raw materials and manufacturing equipment for domestic weapons production.

Myanmar's substantial weapon acquisitions can be attributed to the following reasons:

Long-standing domestic weapons production utilizing supplies from various other countries, which are then employed in attacks against civilians unsupportive of the military and discriminated ethnic groups.

Facing significant opposition from pro-democracy and freedom-seeking individuals, as well as armed groups controlling certain regions, Myanmar potentially seeks to counteract the opposition and maintain its authority through increased weapon acquisitions.

Seeking to enhance its relations with countries that have supplied advanced weapons, Myanmar may be procuring additional weapons to bolster its defense capabilities and regional influence.