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India has surpassed Pakistan in the number of nuclear warheads, even as China maintains a significantly larger arsenal, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2025, released on Monday.
As of January 2025, India is estimated to possess 180 stored nuclear warheads, while Pakistan holds around 170, the report states. In contrast, China has 600 nuclear warheads, including 24 deployed warheads—those mounted on missiles or stationed at bases with operational forces.
The yearbook notes that India marginally expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2024 and continued developing advanced delivery systems. One notable development is India’s introduction of canisterised missiles, which are designed to be transportable with mated warheads. These systems could eventually carry multiple independently targetable warheads and may be operational during peacetime, marking a significant evolution in India’s deterrent posture.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has also continued to develop new delivery platforms and accumulate fissile material, indicating the likelihood of further expansion of its nuclear stockpile over the coming decade.
The report briefly references the recent Operation Sindoor, stating that India’s strikes on nuclear-related military infrastructure, combined with disinformation from third parties, had “risked escalating a conventional conflict into a nuclear crisis,” according to Matt Korda, Associate Senior Researcher at SIPRI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme.
On a global scale, Russia and the United States continue to possess the largest nuclear arsenals among the nine known nuclear-armed states, with 5,459 and 5,177 warheads, respectively—including both active and retired warheads.
SIPRI highlights that Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea all deploy dual-capable missile systems and are actively modernising these capabilities. While only France, Russia, the UK, and the US had missiles capable of carrying multiple warheads up to the mid-2000s, SIPRI notes that China has since developed two such systems, and India, Pakistan, and North Korea are also pursuing this technology.
India’s growing nuclear stockpile is attributed to its maturing nuclear triad, comprising aircraft, land-based missiles, and nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Traditionally, India is believed to store nuclear warheads separately from their delivery systems during peacetime. However, SIPRI suggests this policy may be shifting.
“India’s recent moves—such as placing missiles in canisters and conducting sea-based deterrence patrols—indicate a possible transition towards mated warhead deployment, even during peacetime,” the report observes.
While Pakistan remains the primary focus of India’s nuclear deterrence, the report emphasizes a growing Indian emphasis on longer-range capabilities designed to cover targets across China.
Team BharatShakti
