Swedish think tank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has recently released a report on the status of nuclear weapons around the world. According to this report, many nuclear-rich countries of the world including India have modernized their nuclear weapons. There are nine nuclear-rich countries in the world which include US, Russia, Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. If we look at it, then the US and Russia are at the center of nuclear weapons, which have about 90% of the nuclear warheads out of the total 12,121 nuclear weapons in the world.
Country-Specific Developments
- Russia and USA: Together hold almost 90% of all nuclear weapons.
- China: China has significantly increased its nuclear arsenal from 410 to 500 by January 2024 and is expanding its nuclear arsenal faster than any other country.
- North Korea has approximately 50 warheads and materials for up to 90.
- Israel is modernising its arsenal and enhancing plutonium production capabilities (though not officially acknowledged).
India and Pakistan:
- India now has 172 nuclear warheads as of January 2024, ranking 6th globally, ahead of Pakistan (170), and is emphasising longer-range weapons aimed at China.
Nuclear Diplomacy Challenges
- Nuclear arms control and disarmament diplomacy faced setbacks, particularly due to the war in Ukraine and Gaza.
- Tensions between Iran and the USA fluctuated and the Israel-Hamas war complicating diplomatic efforts.
- Significant setbacks included Russia’s suspension from the New START treaty and withdrawal from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) ratification.
Global Security Concerns
- It also highlighted issues like military expenditure, arms transfers, and the role of private military companies in conflicts.
- It also highlighted the risks related to artificial intelligence, outer space, cyberspace, and the protection of civilians in war zones.
SIPRI
- It is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.
- It was established in 1966 in Stockholm (Sweden).
- It provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public.