Arch-enemies India and Pakistan, two of the poorest and probably dumbest nations in the world, were the top arms buyers in the world in 2006, according to the a new report released Monday by the U.S. Congressional Research Service.

That apostle of peace Gandhi – whose 138th birthday Indians celebrate tomorrow – would be turning in his grave if he knew that in 2006 India signed arms transfer agreements valued at $3.5 billion.

India’s neighbor and bitter rival Pakistan inked arms deals valued at $5.1 billion in 2006.

India was the No-1 developing world arms purchaser from 1999-2006, with the arms transfer agreements totaling $22.4 billion (in current dollars) and accounting for 11.9% of all developing world arms transfer agreements during this period.

All together, sales to developing countries hit $28.8 billion in 2006 compared to $30.54 billion in the previous year.

The U.S. ranked first in arms transfer agreements with developing nations in 2006 with $10.3 billion or 35.8% of these agreements followed by Russia with $8.1 billion or 28.1% of such agreements.

Who benefits from such military sales to the developing nations – the military-industrial complex in the U.S., Russia and other selling nations and the seller nations themselves because of the political influence it gives them.