India Expands Nuclear Arsenal to 190 Warheads, Surpassing Pakistan

New Delhi: ndia has systematically expanded its strategic nuclear weapons stockpile, growing its total inventory to an estimated 190 warheads by early 2026. According to the highly anticipated annual report released on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), this expansion widens New Delhi's operational deterrence edge over neighboring Pakistan, whose nuclear arsenal has remained stable at approximately 170 warheads.  
YouTube

The SIPRI Yearbook 2026 highlights a significant long-term shift in India's defense posture. While defense planning remains heavily influenced by its legacy rivalry with Islamabad, the nation's ongoing modernization program is increasingly focused on developing long-range delivery systems capable of reaching targets across China. The independent think tank noted that India has successfully integrated its maturing nuclear triad, introducing sophisticated canister-launched land missiles and expanding patrols of its nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to maintain sea-based deterrence during peacetime.  
SIPRI
+ 1

The report also sheds light on broader regional military spending dynamics. India has firmly retained its position as the world's fifth-largest military spender, with its defense budget surging 8.9 percent to reach a massive 92.1 billion dollars over the past year. Furthermore, India stands as the world's second-largest importer of major conventional arms, accounting for 8.2 percent of global defense imports.

SIPRI researchers expressed deep global concern over these climbing figures, warning that the world's nine nuclear-armed states are actively reversing decades of disarmament commitments by modernizing their stockpiles. While India expands its regional footprint, China continues to lead global acceleration efforts, expanding its arsenal to 620 warheads. Despite rising geopolitical complexities and a severe cross-border electronic warfare crisis between India and Pakistan last year, the report emphasizes that both South Asian neighbors managed to exercise critical strategic restraints to prevent any direct, catastrophic military escalation.