President Vladimir Putin urged on Friday for expanded Russian arms exports to help the country's position in the global military market. He stressed the necessity for increased state backing to strengthen Russia's military-industrial complex.

Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis in February 2022, Russia's defense sector has prioritized domestic production, resulting in a decrease in international arms sales. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia's proportion in global arms exports fell to 7.8 percent between 2020 and 2024, down from 21 percent in the previous era, due to sanctions and rising internal demand, Reuters reported.

Putin noted that Russia still has a significant portfolio of military export orders worth tens of billions of dollars from important countries such as India, China, and Egypt. He also emphasized the need of incorporating artificial intelligence into weapons systems, stating that future competitiveness in the global arms industry will be dependent on these technologies.