The warhead economy: Inside the explosive budgets of the world’s nuclear giants

From Gaza and Ukraine to Taiwan and the Iran–Israel shadow war, the world is living through an age of high-stakes conflict. But behind each battlefield is a quieter race, the one fought through defence budgets, warhead stockpiles, and nuclear modernisation plans. In 2024 alone, the world’s nine nuclear-armed nations spent a combined $100.2 billion which translates to roughly ₹8.3 lakh crore, on nuclear arsenals, according to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). That’s $190,151 per minute, a 11 per cent increase from 2023's $91.4 billion. While much of this is framed as deterrence, the numbers tell a more complex story

With has been estimated that on it's 50 warheads, North Korea spent approximately $630 million (₹5,230 crore) on its nuclear forces. By contrast, UNESCO data shows the country spent just $320 million on basic education in 2023. Rural schools remain under-resourced, with many lacking basic supplies.

Israel maintains around 90 nuclear warheads, with estimated nuclear spending at $1.1 billion (₹9,130 crore). Though this is just 4 per cent of its health budget, the nuclear programme remains outside the public accounting system. Health funding is visible and debated; nuclear allocations are not.

Pakistan, which is estimated to roughly possess 170 warheads, spends about $1.1 billion on its nuclear weapons. This is equivalent to 10 per cent of its defence budget. Although the country's Economic survey states the public debt to be 76 trillion (340 billion USD), showing how Pakistan grapples with far more pressing challenges. The figure also matches what’s allocated to primary education, yet many rural schools still lack electricity or textbooks.

India spent $2.6 billion (₹21,400 crore) on its 172-warhead arsenal in 2024, while its primary education budget stood at ₹63,000 crore. Despite the higher investment in schooling, access to digital classrooms and sanitation remains patchy in many districts.

The UK’s nuclear budget reached $10.4 billion (₹86,300 crore), nearly matching its NHS cancer services budget. France spent $6.4 billion (₹55,000 crore) on 290 warheads, while ICU beds remain in short supply despite total health spending crossing $180 billion. Both the countries are heavily investing in next-gen deterrents, UK on Dreadnought submarines while France on SSBNs and missiles.

China now has around 600 warheads, spending $12.5 billion (₹1.04 lakh crore) in 2024. This figure is almost equal to China’s entire poverty relief budget, which has lifted millions from rural hardship. The country has the fastest-expanding nuclear arsenal, roughly adding 100 warheads annually.

Russia spent $8.1 billion on its 5,459 warheads. Its national health spending was nearly twice that, yet clinics remain short-staffed. The US leads all others, spending $56.8 billion (₹4.72 lakh crore), which is more than every other nuclear nation combined. America’s education budget surpassed its nuclear outlay, but teacher shortages persist. Over the next decade, the US plans to spend $946 billion on nuclear modernisation.