India's nuclear arsenal now larger than Pakistan's, China far ahead: Report
Representative image (showing a nuclear explosion)
India's nuclear arsenal is now bigger than Pakistan's, with a Swedish think tank claiming that New Delhi had expanded its stockpile to 172 warheads by January 2024. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said Pakistan's nuclear warheads were 170 in the same month. The report added both South Asian nations continued to expand their arsenal and nuclear delivery systems throughout the last year.
India's focus now on China
The SIPRI report also added that China was far ahead of India in the nuclear race, with its stockpile standing at 500 warheads in January 2024, up from 410 in January last year.
It added Beijing is continuously expanding its arsenal at the fastest rate in the world. It reported for the first time that China even had some warheads on high operational alert.
The report said while Pakistan remained the top focus of India's nuclear deterrence, the focus is now shifting to the northern neighbour. New Delhi now seems more eager to develop longer-range weapons, including those capable of reaching targets throughout China.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
All states expanding their arsenal
Hans Kristensen of SIPRI was quoted by news agency PTI as saying that nearly all nuclear states are expanding their stockpile.
"But in nearly all the nuclear-armed states there are either plans or a significant push to increase nuclear forces," he said.
It said all nuclear states—the US, Russia, the UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel—continued to modernise and expand their nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023. The report said the global stockpile of nuclear warheads was 12,121 in January 2024, of which 9,585 were in military stockpiles for potential use.
The report added Russia and the US possessed almost 90 per cent of the total global nuclear inventory.
"Russia is estimated to have deployed around 36 more warheads with operational forces than in January 2023," SIPRI said.
(With inputs from agencies)