Peace in our time? Nuclear weapons stockpile rising, says thinktank

Humanity is drifting into one of the most dangerous periods in history. The nuclear weapons stockpile across the globe is at an all-time high asdeteriorating international relations give rise to increased nuclear sabre-rattling, a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) has revealed.

There are anestimated12,512 nuclear warheads globally, up 86 from a year ago,of which 9,756 are military stockpiles, ready for potential use at any moment, at the press of a button.The number of deployed warheads, 3,844, was also up from the 3,732 warheads, a year ago.

Russia and US make up almost 90 per cent of the nuclear warhead arsenal.Moscow currently leads the chart with 4,489 warheads while Washingtoncomes behind in second with 3,708warheads. Additionally, the both have more than 1,000 warheads, previously retired from military service.

“We are approaching, or maybe have already reached, the end of a long period of the number of nuclear weapons worldwide declining,” said Sipri Director Dan Smith.

The numbers, however, may still paint an opaque picture. Nearly every country has reduced their level of transparency, ever since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The rise in nuclear warheads comes despite the UN's five permanent security council members releasing a joint statement in 2021 saying, "nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought".

China increased numbers exponentially

60 of the new warheads were being held by China. It increased its stockpile from 350 to 410 warheads within a year. In the backdrop of Taiwan tension, Beijing is preparing to triple itsnuclear warheads arsenal to 900 by 2035, according to multiple reports.

The current plan is to raise the number of nuclear warheads to 550 by 2027, the centenary of the foundation of the armed forces, and later take it to 900 by 2035.

“China has started a significant expansion of its nuclear arsenal. It is increasingly difficult to square this trend with China’s declared aim of having only the minimum nuclear forces needed to maintain its national security,"Hans M Kristensen,an associate senior fellow with Sipri’s weapons of mass destruction programme was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

The think tank added that after 30 years of the number of nuclear warheads coming down, the process has come to an end now and the trend reversed.

Since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, numerous threats of a nuclear winter have been espoused. Experts believe that humankind sits at a very delicate juncture where one wrong move of starting a nuclear war could wipe out the entire race from the face of the planet.Thus it is necessary that the global nuclear stockpileberegulated.

(With inputs from agencies)

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