Arms Sales and Russia's Future as an Asian Power

Abstract

The study of a country's arms sales opens up pathways for investigating its domestic and foreign policies. Arms sales are also a phenomenon that is greatly affected by globalization. This is certainly the case for Russia, especially as regards its arms sales to Asia. This article analyzes Russian arms sales to Asia and finds that despite Moscow's professed optimism that it can continue to maintain a competitive edge and its standing as a key Asian military power, there are many reasons for serious concern. These concerns relate to the quality of Russian weapons, to the domestic struggle for resources within a thoroughly corrupt defense industrial sector, and to external forces such as Chinese and South Korean producers who now compete with Russia in the global and Asian arms markets. Such trends may lead not only to a decline in Russia's overall standing and capabilities in Asia, but also to a transformation of Asia's strategic landscape.