Nations amass their nuclear stockpiles.
New Alarm Sounds: Global Nuclear Arsenals On The Rise Again
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In a troubling turn of events, the world's nuclear-armed nations are gearing up for a potential arms race, refilling their stockpiles with deadly warheads. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the era of reducing nuclear arsenals appears to be over.
As of 2025, there are approximately 12,241 nuclear warheads in existence, with around 9,614 ready for use. Roughly 2,100 of these are on high alert on ballistic missiles, mostly belonging to the USA and Russia. These chilling statistics reveal a daunting reality that the future might be fraught with danger.
SIPRI reported that the trend is shifting towards increasing nuclear arsenals, escalating nuclear rhetoric, and the scrapping of nuclear arms control agreements. In their annual report, the peace research institute stated that the post-Cold War period of disarmament is ending and a new arms race is emerging.
The nine nuclear-armed states – the USA, Russia, the UK, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel – are all planning to increase their stocks due to global tensions, according to SIPRI. While the USA and Russia, which possess around 90% of all nuclear weapons, held steady in terms of operational warheads in 2024, both countries are engaged in extensive modernization programs that could significantly increase their arsenals in the future.
The fastest-growing arsenal belongs to China, which has been adding around 100 new warheads annually since 2023. By the end of the decade, China could rival Russia and the USA in terms of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Estimates suggest that Russia and the USA have around 5,459 and 5,177 nuclear warheads, while China has about 600.
India and Pakistan are also increasing their nuclear arsenals, with India boasting around 180 warheads and Pakistan holding about 170 at the start of 2025. The growing nuclear capabilities of these Asian powers are contributing to a shift in the strategic balance, making the world a potentially more volatile place.
In summary, SIPRI's report reveals a disturbing trend of nuclear proliferation among major powers. The region with the most concerning developments is Asia, where countries like India, Pakistan, and China are rapidly expanding their nuclear capabilities. The USA and Russia still maintain the largest nuclear arsenals, but the rapidly advancing Chinese arsenal is causing a significant shift in the strategic balance. The world urgently needs to act to prevent a potentially catastrophic nuclear arms race.
- The increasing nuclear arsenals of various nations, including the USA, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and others, as revealed by SIPRI's report, is a matter of serious concern within the context of global politics and general news, and is a potential threat to our community policy in the event of war-and-conflicts.
- As the world grapples with the rising nuclear arsenals among nations, the ongoing modernization programs of nuclear powers such as the USA and Russia, and the rapid expansion of China's arsenal, pose significant implications for peace and stability, making it critical news for war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news.
