Photographs: Reuters
Part of this goes to the procurement of military hardware and services from the military industry.
Many industrialised countries have a domestic arms industry to supply their own military forces.
Some countries also have a substantial legal or illegal domestic trade in weapons for use by its citizens.
Click NEXT to see the world's top arms-producing companies, including India's major defence firms...
World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: Hindustan Aeronautics is India's biggest defence company.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $2.94 billion
Total profits: $611 million
Area of operations: Aircraft and missiles
Total employees: 35,000
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: Indian Ordnance Factories has over 100,000 employees.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $2.12 billion
Area of operations: Artillery, small arms and ammunition
Total profits: N/A
Total employees: 101,450
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: Bharat Electronics is a major Indian defence company.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $1.17 billion
Total profits: $252 million
Area of operations: Electronics
Total employees: 11,770
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: EADS sits at the top.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $59.47 billion
Total profits: $769 million
Area of operations: Aircraft, electronics, missiles and space
Total employees: 119,510
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: United Technologies saw sales of more than $50 billion.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $52.92 billion
Total profits: $4.17 billion
Area of operations: Aircraft, electronics and engineering
Total employees: 206,700
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: Lockheed Martin has 140,000 employees.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $45.18 billion
Total profits: $3.02 billion
Area of operations: Aircraft, electronics, missiles and space
Total employees: 140,000
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: BAE Systems manufactures many things.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $34.91 billion
Total profits: $70 million
Area of operations: Artillery, aircraft, electronics, small arms, ammunition, missiles, military vehicles and ships
Total employees: 98,000
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: Northrop Grumman is a US-based company.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $33.75 billion
Total profits: $1.68 billion
Area of operations: Aircraft, electronics, missiles, ships, space and services
Total employees: 120,700
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: Boeing is one of the biggest defence companies.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $32.30 billion
Total profits: $1.31 billion
Area of operations: Aircraft, electronics, missiles and space
Total employees: 157,100
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: General Dynamics is into several areas.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $31.98 billion
Total profits: $2.39 billion
Area of operations: Artillery, electronics, military vehicles, small arms, ammunition and ships
Total employees: 91,700
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: Raytheon is into electronics and missiles.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $24.88 billion
Total profits: $1.97 billion
Area of operations: Electronics and missiles
Total employees: 75,000
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: Finmeccanica is an Italy-based company.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $25.24 billion
Total profits: $997 million
Area of operations: Artillery, aircraft, electronics, military vehicles, missiles, small arms and ammunition
Total employees: 73,060
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World's biggest arms-producing companies
Image: L-3 Communications is into electronics and services.Photographs: Reuters
Total sales: $15.61 billion
Total profits: $901 million
Area of operations: Electronics and services
Total employees: 67,000
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