According to the Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)’s annual assessment of the state of armaments, disarmament and international security, India’s nuclear weaponry has grown from 164 warheads in January 2023 to 172 warheads in January 2024.
- India now holds more nuclear weapons than Pakistan, which has recorded no increase in the number of warheads(170 in 2023 and 2024) said in 55th SIPRI Yearbook(2024).
Key Takeaways:
i.Nine nuclear-armed nations, including the United States of America (USA), Russia, France, China, India, Pakistan, the United Kingdom(UK), Israel and North Korea continued modernising their nuclear arsenals and installed new nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable systems in 2023.
ii.The global inventory includes approximately 12,121 nuclear warheads, with about 9,585 contained in military stockpiles.
iii.Around 3,904 of these warheads are employed with missiles and aircraft, an increase of 60 from January 2023, while the remaining are in central storage.
iv. The report showed that around 2,100 of the deployed warheads were on high operational alert on ballistic missiles, mostly belonging to Russia and the USA. China also had some warheads on high operational alert for the first time.
Military stockpiles of nuclear warheads, January 2024:
| Country | Total Inventory (2023) | Total Inventory (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | 5889 | 5580 |
| The United States of America (USA) | 5244 | 5044 |
| China | 410 | 500 |
| France | 290 | 290 |
| The United Kingdom(UK) | 225 | 225 |
| India | 164 | 172 |
| Pakistan | 170 | 170 |
| Israel | 90 | 90 |
| North Korea | 30 | 50 |
Points to note:
i.Russia and the USA hold almost 90% of all nuclear weapons, with their military stockpiles remaining relatively stable in 2023. However, Russia is estimated to have deployed around 36 more warheads with operational forces than in January 2023.
ii.The transparency regarding nuclear forces on the part of Russia and the USA has reduced following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
iii. The UK plans to expand its warhead stockpile from 225 to 260 where as France developed new nuclear systems in 2023. this includes a third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine and a new air-launched cruise missile. North Korea is focusing on its military nuclear program for its national security.
ICAN Report: Global nuclear spending rose by 13%; USA tops
According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) report, Global spending on nuclear weapons is estimated to have increased by 13%, to a record USD 91.4 billion during 2023. this is USD 10.7 billion higher than the global spending during 2022.
- The global spending of USD 91.4 billion is equivalent to USD 2,898 per second.
Details of the Spending by the Nuclear-armed countries:
i.The USA accounted for 80% of the increased investment in nuclear weapons, with a spending of USD 51.5 billion.
ii.With a total spending of USD 11.8 billion, China has become the second largest spender followed by Russia at the 3rd position with a total spending of USD 8.3 billion; the United Kingdom (UK ) at 4th place (USD 8.1bn) and France at 5th place (USD 6.1bn).
iii. India is ranked 6th with total nuclear spending of USD 2.7 billion, followed by Israel(USD 1.1 billion); Pakistan (USD 1.0 billion) and North Korea (USD 0.9 billion).
About Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI):
SIPRI is an independent international institute that focuses on research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.
Director– Dan Smith
Headquarters– Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
Established– 1966
About the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN):
ICAN is the international campaign to stigmatise, prohibit & eliminate nuclear weapons launched in 2007 in Melbourne, Australia.
It is a coalition of non-governmental organisations promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Executive Director– Melissa Parke
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
