SIPRI Yearbook 2026: Global Nuclear Stockpiles Rise as India's Arsenal Grows to 190 Warheads

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an independent research body based in Sweden that studies armed conflict, military spending and the arms trade, has released its SIPRI Yearbook 2026. The yearbook is one of the most widely cited references on global security and is a regular source of facts for competitive exams.

According to SIPRI's estimates, the world held about 9,745 nuclear warheads as of January 2026, of which roughly 4,012 were deployed, meaning placed on missiles or kept at bases with operational forces. The United States and Russia together account for the bulk of these weapons, with the US holding around 3,700 usable warheads and Russia about 4,400. China increased its stockpile by 20 to reach 620. India's stockpile was estimated at 190 warheads, up from 180 a year earlier, with 12 now described as deployed for the first time. Pakistan was estimated to hold around 170 warheads.

SIPRI flagged a worrying global trend: the New START treaty between the United States and Russia, which had capped their deployed strategic warheads, expired in February 2026, removing those limits. SIPRI warned that if nuclear-armed states build up their arsenals faster than they retire old weapons, the credibility of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 could weaken. The NPT bars countries that did not already have nuclear weapons from acquiring them, in exchange for a promise by existing nuclear powers to move towards disarmament.

For India, the report is a moment to restate its long-standing position. India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974 and further tests in 1998, after which it adopted a 'No First Use' doctrine, meaning it pledges not to be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict. India never signed the NPT, partly because it viewed the treaty as unfair to countries outside the original nuclear club while existing powers did little to disarm.

For aspirants, SIPRI data is a high-value source for questions on international relations and security. Key takeaways are the meaning of 'deployed' versus 'stockpiled' warheads, India's No First Use policy, why India stayed out of the NPT, and the significance of the New START treaty's expiry for global arms control.