**India Surpasses Pakistan in Nuclear Arsenal: SIPRI Report Reveals**
India has overtaken Pakistan in the number of nuclear warheads, boasting 180 compared to Pakistan’s 170, as reported in the latest yearbook by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The report indicates that India increased its stockpile from 172 warheads in 2024 to 180 in 2025, all of which are available for operational deployment. In contrast, Pakistan’s arsenal has remained unchanged since 2024.
Founded in 1966, SIPRI is an independent research institution focused on conflict, arms control, and disarmament. The report highlights India’s gradual expansion of its nuclear capabilities over the past year, including the development of new delivery systems such as canisterized missiles, which could potentially carry multiple warheads and remain ready during peacetime. Pakistan, while also advancing its delivery systems and accumulating fissile material, has not increased its overall nuclear arsenal.
The SIPRI report emphasizes India’s significant investment in diversifying its military capabilities across air, sea, and land, enhancing its second-strike capability compared to Pakistan’s more limited options. This analysis follows India’s Operation Sindoor, a strategic response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals due to Pakistan-backed terrorism. During this operation, India targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).
In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India faced nuclear threats from Pakistan, but the four-day conflict that ensued saw India successfully neutralize these threats by striking key airbases in Pakistan, which Islamabad later acknowledged. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation, issued a stern warning against nuclear blackmail, stating that India would target terrorist infrastructure operating under such threats.
The SIPRI yearbook also notes that while both India and Pakistan are outside formal nuclear arms control frameworks, India’s modernization efforts are viewed as more stable and aligned with its declared “no first use” policy and minimum deterrence strategy. This growth occurs amid a global trend of increasing nuclear arsenals, diverging from the post-Cold War reductions.
Globally, there are approximately 12,241 nuclear warheads across nine nuclear-armed nations, with 9,614 in stockpiles and 3,912 deployed. The majority of these warheads are held by the United States and Russia, which together account for 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal.
**FAQ**
**Q: How many nuclear warheads does India currently have?**
A: As of 2025, India possesses 180 nuclear warheads, surpassing Pakistan’s total of 170.
