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Pakistani army soldiers travel on a vehicle carrying a long-range ballistic Shaheen II missile during the Pakistan Day parade in Islamabad on March 23, 2019. - Pakistan National Day commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution, when a separate nation for the Muslims of The British Indian Empire was demanded on March 23, 1940. (Photo by FAROOQ NAEEM / AFP) (Photo credit should read FAROOQ NAEEM/AFP via Getty Images)

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India possesses more nuclear weapons than Pakistan in 2024: SIPRI Report

STOCKHOLM: India now possesses more nuclear weapons than Pakistan in 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) annual assessment.

SIPRI’s report on global armaments, disarmament, and international security indicates that the United States has the largest number of nuclear warheads, followed by Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel.

The report highlights that worsening geopolitical relations have increased the prominence and variety of nuclear weapons as nations deepen their reliance on nuclear deterrence. It also notes that nuclear-armed states continue to modernize their arsenals, with several deploying new nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable systems in 2023.

SIPRI’s research found that about 9,585 of the 12,121 warheads in existence as of January 2024 are in military stockpiles ready for potential use. Of these, 3,904 warheads are deployed on missiles and aircraft—60 more than in January 2023—with around 2,100 maintained in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles.

Nearly all these warheads belong to Russia or the US, but for the first time, China is also believed to have some on high operational alert.

SIPRI Director Dan Smith expressed concern over these trends, stating: “While the global total of nuclear warheads continues to fall as Cold War-era weapons are gradually dismantled, regrettably, we continue to see year-on-year increases in the number of operational nuclear warheads.”

According to SIPRI, Russia and the US hold nearly 90% of all nuclear weapons and are in the process of dismantling more than 1,200 retired warheads each. China’s nuclear arsenal grew from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 in January 2024.

The UK’s stockpile is expected to grow, while France is developing a third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), a new air-launched cruise missile, and upgrading existing systems.

India and North Korea are both pursuing the capability to deploy multiple warheads on ballistic missiles. India slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2023 and is focusing on longer-range weapons capable of reaching targets throughout China. India also continued developing new nuclear delivery systems last year.

North Korea has around 50 warheads and enough fissile material to potentially reach up to 90 warheads, marking significant increases from January 2023 estimates. Israel is believed to be modernizing its nuclear arsenal and upgrading its plutonium production reactor site at Dimona.

“We are now in one of the most dangerous periods in human history,” said Smith. “There are numerous sources of instability—political rivalries, economic inequalities, ecological disruption, an accelerating arms race. The abyss is beckoning, and it is time for the great powers to step back and reflect. Preferably together.”

Written By

I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.

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