SIPRI Yearbook 2026: Nuclear-Armed States Including India Continue Arsenal Modernization

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its authoritative 2026 Yearbook on June 8, 2026, providing a sobering assessment of global nuclear trends. The report highlights that the world's nine nuclear-armed states—the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel—are increasingly relying on nuclear weapons as instruments of national power.

India-Specific Findings

India is estimated to possess approximately 190 nuclear warheads as of January 2026 and is actively pursuing the modernization of its nuclear arsenal, including the development and deployment of new nuclear-capable delivery systems such as advanced ballistic missiles. Notably, SIPRI observes that India, along with China, may now occasionally deploy a small number of nuclear warheads on missiles during peacetime—a shift from the traditional practice of keeping all warheads in central storage.

Global Trends

While the total global inventory of nuclear warheads has seen a marginal decrease due to the continued dismantlement of Cold War-era weapons, SIPRI cautions that this trend is slowing as the deployment of newer, more sophisticated modernized nuclear weapons accelerates. The yearbook emphasizes that India remains committed to its "credible minimum deterrence" doctrine and "no first use" policy.