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Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Report

  • 18 Jun 2024

According to a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Swedish think tank, released on June 17th, 2024, India possesses more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, while China has expanded its nuclear arsenal from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 by January 2024

Key Highlights of Report

  • In 2023, nine nuclear-armed nations including the US, Russia, the UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel continued to modernize their nuclear arsenals, with several deploying new nuclear-capable weapon systems.
  • As of January 2024, India had 172 "stored" nuclear warheads, while Pakistan had 170.
  • India slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2023, and both India and Pakistan continued developing new types of nuclear delivery systems.
  • According to the SIPRI report, while Pakistan remains the primary focus of India's nuclear deterrent, India is increasingly emphasizing longer-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China.
  • Russia and the US together possess almost 90 per cent of all nuclear weapons.
  • Russia is estimated to have deployed around 36 more warheads with operational forces than in January 2023.
  • China's stockpile of nuclear warheads is still expected to remain significantly smaller than those of Russia and the US.