Global nuclear risks build up: Here's the list of top 9 countries with nuclear arms in 2025
In its annual assessment of the state of armaments, disarmament and international security, SIPRI revealed India to be possessing 180 nuclear stored warheads as of January 2025, while Pakistan has an estimated 170.
Meanwhile, China has 600 nuclear warheads as of January 2025, of which 24 are deployed warheads or those placed on missiles or located on bases with operational forces.
Nuclear-armed states around the world
The nine nuclear-armed states include the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Israel.
The Yearbook highlights that of the total global inventory of an estimated 12,241 warheads in January 2025, about 9,614 were in military stockpiles for potential usage.
An estimated 3,912 of these warheads were deployed with missiles and aircraft and the rest were kept in central storage, as per the SIPRI report. Around 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles. Mostly all of these warheads belonged to Russia or the USA. Both these countries together possess around 90 per cent of all nuclear weapons, the report noted.
Here's the list of top 9 countries currently possessing nuclear weapons:
The list concludes the total inventory, which includes both stockpiled and retired warheads, to be 12, 241, in 2025. Here, military stockpile refers to all deployed warheads as well as warheads in central storage that could potentially be deployed. Whereas, retired warheads include those that have been retired from the military stockpile but have not yet been dismantled.
Besides the top 9 nations, there lies potential for more states in East Asia, Europe, and Middle East to develop their own nuclear weapons in the near future.
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), said: 'The era of reductions in the number of nuclear weapons in the world, which had lasted since the end of the cold war, is coming to an end.' 'Instead, we see a clear trend of growing nuclear arsenals, sharpened nuclear rhetoric and the abandonment of arms control agreements,' Kristensen added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
12 hours ago
- India.com
China-Pakistan Nexus Equipping Terrorists In J&K With Advanced Technology: Report
STOCKHOLM: China-Pakistan technological nexus has drastically changed the security landscape in Jammu and Kashmir, systematically equipping terrorist organisations with sophisticated military-grade communication systems and surveillance technologies, a report cited on Friday. It stated that what were once conventional insurgency tactics have now evolved into advanced digital warfare capabilities, altering the dynamics of cross-border militancy. 'The strategic alliance between Beijing and Islamabad has created a formidable supply chain for advanced military hardware. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's 2025 report, China accounted for 81 per cent of Pakistan's arms imports between 2019 and 2023, totaling approximately $5.28 billion. This partnership extends far beyond traditional weaponry, encompassing dual-use technologies that have found their way into terrorist arsenals across Kashmir," the report in European Times highlighted. According to the report, the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam underscored the extent of the technological infiltration in the region where security forces seized Huawei satellite phones, Chinese-manufactured GPS devices, body cameras, and encrypted communication systems from the attack site. These recoveries marked a shift from unsophisticated militant operations to coordinated, technology-driven warfare that capitalises on Chinese infrastructure and expertise. It further mentioned that the cutting-edge network architecture enabled terrorists to coordinate in real-time, while keeping their operations secure. The operational impact, it stated, was visible during Operation Mahadev, when Indian security forces tracked terrorists using signals from a Chinese satellite phone activated in the Baisaran area. However, the elimination of three Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives, including the alleged mastermind of the Pahalgam attack, highlighted not only technology's capabilities but also its weaknesses when effectively countered. China's engagement, the report detailed, extends beyond hardware to building a comprehensive digital infrastructure. Through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the telecom towers operated by China Mobile Pakistan (Zong) across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir provided digital coverage that reached Indian districts, including Kupwara, Rajouri, Poonch, and Uri. This network, the report said, created multiple layers of operational support for terrorist activities. It also emphasised that China's supply of sophisticated communication systems, surveillance capabilities, and weapons technology allowed Pakistan to deny any direct involvement while it escalated the lethality of terrorist operations. The China-Pakistan collaboration has led to several destabilising effects. "The entrenchment of Chinese technology in Kashmir's militant ecosystem represents more than a tactical evolution; it constitutes a strategic challenge to Indian sovereignty and regional stability. The China-Pakistan nexus has created a sophisticated support system that enhances terrorist capabilities while maintaining plausible deniability for state sponsors,' the report noted.
India Today
4 days ago
- India Today
What Pakistan army chief Asim Munir's nuclear threat to India from American soil indicates
A day after Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh caused a flutter by declaring that his force had downed at least six Pakistani fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan's top military general unleashed a fresh wave of nuclear brinkmanship—this time from American Marshal Asim Munir, speaking at a private dinner in Florida, threatened to 'destroy' any dam India might build on the Indus river and warned that Pakistan, as a nuclear nation, would 'take half the world down' if pushed to the are a nuclear nation; if we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us,' Field Marshal Munir said during his second visit to the United States in the past two months. On June 18, US president Donald Trump had hosted Field Marshal Munir for a special luncheon at the White House, a gesture typically reserved for heads of state.'We will wait for India to build a dam, and when it does so, phir 10 missile sey faarigh kar dengey (we will destroy it with 10 missiles),' Field Marshal Munir said, asserting that the Indus river was not Indians' family property. 'We have no shortage of resources to undo Indian designs to stop the river,' he told the gathering of Pakistani expatriates. Amidst troubled India-US relations over trade tariffs, observers say it's condemnable that Washington had provided a platform to Pakistan's military leader to make provocative and inflammatory statements against India. Moreover, Field Marshal Munir's decision to issue threats from American soil not only amplifies his rhetoric but also risks deepening strains in already uneasy Washington-New Delhi ties, frayed by divergent views on regional Trump administration's silence has fuelled speculation that Washington may be recalibrating its South Asia tilt towards Pakistan, driven by shifting geopolitical priorities and the strategic demands of its stand-off with sharply to Field Marshal Munir's comment, India called it 'nuclear sabre-rattling' that was essentially Pakistan's 'stock-in-trade'. The ministry of external affairs said such remarks underscored doubts about the integrity of Pakistan's nuclear command and control, particularly in a situation wherein the military was 'hand-in-glove with terrorist groups'.The ministry termed it 'regrettable' that the comments had been made from the soil of a friendly third country. 'India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will continue to take all steps necessary to safeguard our national security,' the ministry's statement is notable that Pakistan is increasing its nuclear arsenal, believed to be with China's assistance. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a leading defence and armaments think-tank, Pakistan is a strong nuclear power, having an estimated 170 warheads, as per its latest assessment. In comparison, India has 180 nuclear stored warheads as of January Marshal Munir was in Florida to attend a retirement function for General Michael Kurilla, the outgoing commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). Kurilla had, sometime back, praised Islamabad's role in combating the ISIS-Khorasan and credited Pakistan's military leadership, particularly army chief Munir, with efforts to disrupt ISIS-K operations in the US military divides the world into various regions of operations for its engagement. Pakistan comes under Centcom, as part of the US's focus on Iran and Afghanistan. India comes under the Indo-Pacific command that is purely focused on to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
NDTV
4 days ago
- NDTV
After Asim Munir's Threat, A Look At Pakistan's Nuclear Capabilities
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.
