The government is encouraging arms sales, which have become a major export item. Shipments abroad this year are expected to exceed $4 billion. In 2000 shipments were worth $2.84 billion (orders booked that year were $3.68 billion). Currently, China and India accounts for some 80 percent of these sales. Russia needs more customers and is making progress selling more arms to Syria and Iran. Russian arms are known to be cheap, and not as effective as Western weapons. Russian sales efforts have also been hurt by reports that spare parts for Russian equipment are often defective or hard to get. Because of better quality and service (along with higher prices) the three leading arms exporters are; America ($26 billion last year), Great Britain ($10 billion) and France ($6.6 billion.)