India now possesses more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, while China has significantly expanded its nuclear arsenal, according to a recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Swedish think tank.

In its analysis, SIPRI revealed that China's nuclear arsenal increased from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 by January 2024. The report anticipates that this growth will continue.

Key Takeaways from the SIPRI Report

• Nine Nuclear-Armed Nations Modernizing: The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel continued to modernize their nuclear arsenals. Several of these countries deployed new nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023.
• India's and Pakistan's Nuclear Capabilities: As of January 2024, India has "stored" 172 nuclear warheads, slightly more than Pakistan's 170. India has marginally expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2023. Both countries are actively developing new types of nuclear delivery systems.
• India's Focus on China: While Pakistan remains the primary focus of India's nuclear deterrent, India is increasingly emphasizing longer-range weapons capable of reaching targets throughout China.
• High Operational Alert: Approximately 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles, with nearly all of them belonging to Russia or the United States. For the first time, China is believed to have some warheads on high operational alert.
• Global Nuclear Stockpiles: Russia and the US together possess nearly 90 percent of all nuclear weapons. Russia is estimated to have deployed around 36 more warheads with operational forces than in January 2023. Despite its rapid growth, China's stockpile of nuclear warheads is still expected to remain much smaller than those of Russia or the US.