'India Classifies 12 Nuclear Warheads As Deployed': SIPRI Report

According to the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India has, for the first time, classified 12 nuclear warheads as "deployed," marking a notable development in its nuclear posture. The report suggests a departure from New Delhi's long-standing practice of storing nuclear warheads separately from their delivery systems.

SIPRI notes that India's nuclear arsenal is now considered operationally deployed rather than merely stockpiled. The move is said to involve the placement of ready-to-launch weapons in underground missile silos and aboard newer nuclear-powered submarines, indicating a higher level of operational readiness.

The report further states that the 12 warheads represent the first known instance of India either mating nuclear warheads with delivery systems or positioning them at bases with active operational forces.

India ranked as the world's fifth-largest military spender in 2025, allocating USD 92.1 billion to defence, according to the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The report also highlighted the "unusually severe military crisis" between India and Pakistan in May 2025.

SIPRI estimated that India possessed around 190 nuclear warheads as of January 2026, compared to Pakistan's 170. It noted that India slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal last year and continued developing advanced delivery systems, with growing emphasis on long-range capabilities aimed at reaching targets across China while maintaining focus on Pakistan.

"Key findings of SIPRI Yearbook 2026 are that states are increasingly relying on nuclear weapons as instruments of national power -- reversing decades of efforts to reduce the numbers and role of nuclear weapons -- even as the risks of miscalculation and escalation are rising," SIPRI said.

The report stated that Pakistan continued enhancing its delivery systems and stockpiling fissile material, potentially enabling future expansion of its nuclear arsenal. It also observed that during the brief conflict in May 2025, India struck Pakistani air and missile bases believed to have nuclear-related functions, though both countries acted to prevent escalation.

Globally, nine nuclear-armed states collectively possessed about 12,187 nuclear weapons at the start of 2026. SIPRI also noted that military spending worldwide rose for the 11th consecutive year, reaching a record USD 2.9 trillion in 2025, while India and Pakistan were among the world's top arms importers and integrated cyber operations into conflict for the first time.

(With Inputs From PTI)