IRIA News

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has reposted in its annual assessment that the world’s nine nuclear-armed states are increasing their reliance on nuclear weapons amid rising tensions and deteriorating global insecurity.

According to the report, states boosted their expenditures on upgrading their nuclear arsenals by 33% last year. SIPRI report also highlighted that the wars in Ukraine and Gaza as factors exacerbating international security concerns.

Wilfred Wan, director of SIPRI’s weapons of mass destruction program, remarked that nuclear weapons have been “playing such a prominent role in international relations since the Cold War.” He said that the impacts of the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are “evident in nearly every facet of the issues related to armaments, disarmament, and international security examined.”

According to SIPRI, the nine nuclear-armed states, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel, upgraded their nuclear arsenals over the last year. Several of these states also “deployed new nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2023.”

As of January 2024, the estimated global inventory of warheads stood at 12,121, marking a decrease of 391 compared to the previous year, with approximately 9,585 held in military stockpiles for potential use. However, 3,904 of these warheads were deployed with missiles and aircraft, an increase of 60 compared to January 2023.

At the start of 2024, the 9 nuclear-armed states possessed an estimated 12 121 nuclear weapons. New numbers out now ➡️ https://t.co/hwXGg3URBP

USA🇺🇸 5 044
Russia🇷🇺 5 580
UK🇬🇧 225
France🇫🇷 290
China🇨🇳 500
India🇮🇳 172
Pakistan🇵🇰 170
North Korea🇰🇵50
Israel🇮🇱 90#SIPRIYearbook pic.twitter.com/GEKbCl8vEd

— SIPRI (@SIPRIorg) June 16, 2024

“While the global count of nuclear warheads continues to decline due to the gradual dismantling of Cold War-era weapons, unfortunately, we are witnessing annual increases in operational nuclear warheads,” stated SIPRI Director Dan Smith in a statement release. “This trend appears likely to persist and potentially accelerate in the coming years, which is deeply concerning.”

About 2,100 nuclear missiles are believed to be deployed and operational at any given moment. Most of these deployed warheads are attributed to Russia and the U.S., although China is reported to have “some warheads on high operational alert” for the first time.

China’s expanding nuclear arsenal

The report projects that China’s inventory of active intercontinental nuclear missiles could equal those of the United States and Russia by 2030.

SIPRI estimated that China’s arsenal of nuclear weapons increased from 410 to approximately 500 operational warheads in 2023. The institute noted that China is reportedly deploying warheads during peacetime, marking a first for the country.

Although China’s overall stockpile of nuclear weapons is expected to remain significantly lower than those of the U.S. or Russia, SIPRI anticipated that its assertive deployment could bring it in line with the active arsenals of these other nations in the foreseeable future.

“China is expanding its nuclear arsenal at a faster pace than any other country,” wrote SIPRI associate senior fellow Hans Kristensen. “Moreover, nearly all nuclear-armed states are either planning or actively increasing their nuclear forces.”

SIPRI’s assessments were consistent with recent figures disclosed in a Pentagon report to Congress, indicating that China likely possessed “over” 500 operational nuclear warheads as of May this year and was “likely to surpass earlier projections.”

Pakistan’s nuclear warheads remain 170, India’s increased to 172

As of January 2024, India had 172 ‘stored’ nuclear warheads, slightly increasing its arsenal in 2023, while Pakistan maintained 170. Both countries continued to develop new nuclear delivery systems, with India focusing on longer-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China. Pakistan remains the primary focus of India’s nuclear deterrence strategy.

Among Asian nuclear powers, India, Pakistan, and North Korea are advancing towards deploying multiple warheads on ballistic missiles, a capability already possessed by China, France, Russia, the UK, and the U.S.

SIPRI Report: World nuclear forces as of January 2024

– = nil or a negligible value.
Notes: All estimates are approximate. SIPRI revises its world nuclear forces data each year based on new information and updates to earlier assessments. The data for January 2024 replaces all previously published SIPRI data on world nuclear forces. Countries are ordered by the date of the first known nuclear test; however, there is no conclusive open-source evidence that Israel has tested its nuclear weapons. Russia and the United States no longer publish aggregate numbers for strategic nuclear forces limited by the 2010 Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START).