China adds 100 Nuclear bombs in one year, India have 8 : Here’s how many nukes Pakistan, Russia, Israel and others inducted
New Delhi: Amid the ongoing tensions across the globe, nine nuclear-armed countries in the world— United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel—continued to enhance their nuclear arsenals in 2024. According to the reports, these nations have upgraded older weapons and added new, more powerful ones to their military forces. This situation is becoming a major threat to global security.
Russia and the United States continued to dismantle old weapons after the end of the Cold War. This has led to a decline in the global number of nuclear weapons. But now, this trend is changing. The speed of dismantling old arms is slowing down, while the deployment of new weapons is increasing rapidly.
Here are some of the important details:
- An estimated 12,241 nuclear weapons existed worldwide as of January 2025.
- Of these, around 9,614 were in military stockpiles and ready for use.
- Approximately 3,912 weapons were deployed on missiles and aircraft, while the rest were kept in central storage.
- About 2,100 deployed weapons were on ballistic missiles in a state of high operational alert, most of them belonging to Russia and the United States.
It is important to note that the Vladimir Putin-led Russia and the United States possess 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons. As per the reports, the military stockpiles of both countries remained stable in 2024. However, the US and Russia are actively working on modernizing their nuclear arsenals. If the 2010 New START treaty, which is set to expire in 2026, is not renewed, the number of warheads deployed on missiles by both nations could increase.
India and Pakistan Situation
India, in 2024, increased its nuclear arsenal and developed new delivery systems. India’s new “canisterized” missiles, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, can be deployed even during peacetime. Some of these missiles may be capable of carrying multiple warheads.
Pakistan is also developing new delivery systems and expanding its stockpile of nuclear material. In early 2025, an armed conflict broke out between India and Pakistan, raising the threat of a nuclear crisis. SIPRI expert Matt Korda stated that this incident serves as a warning to countries that are increasing their reliance on nuclear weapons.
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