India's nuclear weapon arsenal has grown, but how does it compare to Pakistan, China?

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Tuesday launched its 2024 Yearbook, containing data on the state of armaments, disarmament and international security. It mentions the status on nuclear weapons the world over, too.

We take a look at what India, and neighbouring Pakistan and China's nuclear inventories look like.

How many nuclear warheads does India have?

As of January 2024, India has a total inventory of 172 nuclear warheads, an increase from 164 in 2023. This reflects the continuous efforts India has been taking in the past decade to modernise and expand its nuclear capabilities to maintain a credible minimum deterrence strategy against regional adversaries.

India’s nuclear weapons are believed to be plutonium-based. The plutonium is produced at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

It was long assumed that India stores its nuclear warheads separately from its deployed launchers during peacetime. However, recent reports suggest that India may be shifting towards mating some of its warheads with their launchers in peacetime, as indicated by its moves to place missiles in canisters and conduct sea-based deterrence patrols.

While Pakistan remains the main focus of India’s nuclear deterrent, India appears to be placing growing emphasis on longer-range weapons, including those capable of reaching targets throughout China.

How many nuclear warheads do Pakistan, China have?

Pakistan, another key player in the regional nuclear balance, holds a total of 170 nuclear warheads as of 2024, maintaining consistency from the previous year's figures. Pakistan's nuclear posture remains focused on countering India's conventional and nuclear capabilities.

Pakistan’s current warhead designs are believed to use highly enriched uranium (HEU). Pakistan continues to produce HEU for military purposes. The enrichment takes place at the gas centrifuge facilities located at Kahuta and Gadwal in Punjab.

Nuclear weapons in the world

Image source: SIPRI

China, with its expanding global influence, has a more substantial nuclear arsenal. As of 2024, China has 500 nuclear warheads in total, including 24 deployed warheads and 476 stored warheads. The military stockpile has increased to 500 from 410 in 2023. This growth shows China's objective to maintain a robust second-strike capability and deter potential threats.

"China is expanding its nuclear arsenal faster than any other country," said Hans M. Kristensen, Associate Senior Fellow with SIPRI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme and Director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).

For the first time, China may also now be deploying a small number of warheads on missiles during peacetime.

Who has the most number of nuclear warheads?

Russia and the USA together possess almost 90 per cent of all nuclear weapons. The sizes of their respective military stockpiles (i.e. useable warheads) seem to have remained relatively stable in 2023, although Russia is estimated to have deployed around 36 more warheads with operational forces than in January 2023.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters

Transparency regarding nuclear forces has declined in both countries in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and debates around nuclear-sharing arrangements have increased in saliency.

How many countries have nuclear warheads?

There are nine known nuclear-armed states in the world. These are China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

All these countries continued to modernise their nuclear arsenals in 2024. Several of them deployed new nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023.

Together, these countries were responsible for the total global inventory of an estimated 12,121 nuclear warheads as of January 2024. Roughly 9,585 of them were in military stockpiles for potential use, while another 3,904 were deployed with missiles and aircraft. Around 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles. Nearly all of these warheads belonged to Russia or the US.

Who has the most nuclear warheads?

As of January 2024, Russia has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. It is followed by the US. Together, they have almost 90 per cent of all nuclear weapons globally.

Russia has a total inventory of 5,580 nuclear warheads as of January 2024. This includes 1,710 deployed warheads and 2,674 stored warheads, with a military stockpile of 4,380 warheads. Russia's retired warheads number 1,200. The overall decrease in Russia's total inventory from 5,889 in 2023 to 5,580 in 2024 is likely due to the progress in dismantling of retired nuclear weapons.

The US possesses a total inventory of 5,044 nuclear warheads. This includes 1,770 deployed warheads and 1,938 stored warheads, with a military stockpile totalling 3,708 warheads. The US also has 1,336 retired warheads. Compared to 2023, where the total inventory was 5,244, there has been a decrease, owing to the progress in dismantling of retired nuclear weapons. The number of deployed warheads remains stable.