India expanded its nuclear stockpile in 2024
New Delhi is believed to have 180 nuclear-stored warheads, according to the Stockholm-based institute
India expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2024 and continues to develop new types of delivery systems for the weapons, according to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published on Monday. SIPRI is an independent international institute that conducts research on conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.
According to the SIPRI 2025 yearbook, India had 180 nuclear stored warheads as of January 2025, while Pakistan had an estimated 170. India has strengthened its nuclear triad by commissioning its second domestically built nuclear-powered submarine, the 'INS Arighaat', which can launch strategic weapons from the sea, in addition to land and air-based capabilities, the SIPRI noted.
India's nuclear policy, established in 2003, states that the country will only use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack on its territory or forces, and will not be the first to conduct a nuclear strike in a conflict. SIPRI, which updates its global nuclear forces data annually, said Pakistan is continuing to develop new nuclear delivery systems and produce more fissile material, indicating a potential expansion of its nuclear arsenal in the coming years.
According to the Stockholm-based institute, Russia and the US have the largest nuclear stockpiles, with 5,459 and 5,177 warheads, respectively. A recent report by SIPRI pointed out that global military spending increased more year-on-year in 2024 than at any time since the Cold War.
Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea all have missiles that can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads and are modernizing these systems, the institute said. China has 600 nuclear warheads, 24 of which are ready for use, and has developed missiles that can carry multiple warheads, a capability that India, Pakistan, and North Korea are also trying to develop, it added.
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