After Asim Munir's Threat, A Look At Pakistan's Nuclear Capabilities

NDTV

a day ago

New Delhi:
India has formally condemned Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir's recent nuclear threats, delivered during a public address in Florida, as "irresponsible". Speaking to an audience of Pakistani-origin residents, Munir -- who holds the rank of Field Marshal -- warned that if Pakistan faced an "existential threat" in a future conflict with India, it would be prepared to retaliate with catastrophic force.
"We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us," he was quoted as saying.
In the same address, Munir tied his warning to India's recent decision to suspend certain provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.
Despite Munir's bold claim, does Pakistan have global nuclear strike capabilities?
Pakistan's Nuclear Arsenal
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 2025 Yearbook, as of January, Pakistan's stockpile was estimated at around 170 nuclear warheads, a figure unchanged from the previous year. The country has continued developing a nuclear triad comprising aircraft capable of delivering nuclear gravity bombs, ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles. and sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs) intended for submarine deployment.
The SIPRI report states that Pakistan is developing multiple new delivery systems, suggesting that its arsenal could expand in the next decade.
Missile Capabilities
Pakistan's Shaheen-3 stands as its most advanced ballistic missile, boasting a range of 2,750 kilometres. This capability allows it to strike targets across the entirety of India.
Complementing the Shaheen-3 is the Ababeel missile, which introduces the potential for multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). This feature could allow it to deliver multiple warheads to distinct targets, posing a significant challenge to missile defence systems.
India's S-400 air defence system provides robust protection against a range of aerial threats, such as these.
Pakistan's missile arsenal remains confined to regional influence. Claims of global reach, such as those suggesting coverage of "half the world," overstate capabilities. The Shaheen-3, with its 2,750 km range, can target parts of the Middle East and all of India but falls short of reaching East Asia, Western Europe, or North America.
The Ababeel, with a 2,200 km range, is still in development, with unverified MIRV capabilities. Shorter-range systems like the Fatah-II (400 km, hypersonic), Shaheen-II (1,500-2,000 km), and Ghauri-II (over 2,000 km) cater to regional and battlefield roles.
Submarine-launched Babur-3 (450 km) and short-range missiles like Abdali (200-300 km), Ghaznavi (290-320 km), and Nasr (70 km) are Pakistan's other tactical options.
All of Pakistan's missiles, including the Nasr short-range ballistic missile, are considered dual-capable, meaning they can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads.
Pakistan is developing two variants of the Ra'ad air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) to supplement its limited number of nuclear gravity bombs. Neither version is currently believed to be operational.
The Mirage III and possibly Mirage V aircraft are thought to serve as Pakistan's primary nuclear-capable aircraft. According to the SIPRI report, the locally produced JF-17 fighter will assume this role in the future, with the Ra'ad ALCM integrated into its weapons suite.
One significant development is Pakistan's Ababeel medium-range missile, reportedly capable of delivering multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs). As of early 2025, it had not been operationally deployed. Analysts view Pakistan's MIRV pursuit as a counter to India's acquisition of advanced ballistic missile defence systems, including the Russian-made S-400.
Naval Component
According to the SIPRI report, Pakistan is working to establish a credible second-strike capability through a sea-based nuclear force. The Babur-3 SLCM, tested in 2017 and 2018, is designed to arm the Pakistan Navy's three Agosta-90B diesel-electric submarines. This capability, once operational, would complete Pakistan's nuclear triad.
The exact yields of Pakistan's warheads are unknown. Its 1998 nuclear tests demonstrated a maximum yield of approximately 12 kilotons. While it is possible that boosted fission warheads with higher yields have since been developed, there is no open-source evidence of two-stage thermonuclear designs.
Pakistan reportedly stores its nuclear warheads separately from delivery systems in peacetime. SIPRI's estimates include around eight "other stored warheads" that may be intended for future systems such as the Shaheen-III missile.
India Responds To Munir
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement on Monday, calling Munir's comments "nuclear sabre-rattling" and "stock-in-trade" for Pakistan's military.
"The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforces the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups," the MEA said.