Pakistan s Nuclear Stockpile larger than India: International Report

LONDON – Pakistan has surpassed India when it comes to the list ofcountries with the most nuclear weapons. The Stockholm International PeaceResearch Institute (SIPRI) recently released its report that lists thenumber of warheads owned by nuclear-armed nations across the world.

According to figures compiled by SIPRI, just nine countries owned a totalof 14,465 nuclear warheads in 2018. About 3,750 of the nuclear warheads inthis list are already deployed. These nine countries include:

– United States of America, – Russia, – Britain, – France, – China, – Pakistan, – India, – Israel, – North Korea.

The total number of warheads registered a decline when compared to lastyear. This is mainly due to the START arms control treaty signed betweenthe US and Russia in 2010 that calls on both countries to reduce theirnuclear stockpiles. Out of the total nuclear weapons known to the world,these two superpowers hold 92% of them!

SIPRI indicates that the vision of a world without nuclear weapons is dead.The report adds that North Korea and Russia are among the countries thatare most to use their nuclear arsenal in a time of crisis. The reportfurther mentions:

North Korea also demonstrated unexpected rapid progress in the testing oftwo new types of long-range ballistic missile delivery systems.

Furthermore, more countries are investing to modernize their warheads whichis “worrying”.

The report adds:

The renewed focus on the strategic importance of nuclear deterrence andcapacity is a very worrying trend.

Jan Eliasson, SIPRI’s head, says:

The world needs a clear commitment from the nuclear weapon states to aneffective, legally binding process towards nuclear disarmament.

The report shows the number of nuclear warheads owned by the followingcountries:

– Russia – 6,850 – USA – 6,450 – France – 300, – China – 280, – Pakistan – 140-150, – Britain – 215, – India – 130-140, – Israel – 80, – North Korea – 10-20.

The report indicates that the US is planning to spend around $400 billionon modernization of its nuclear weapons by 2026. Countries like India andPakistan have also made nuclear weapons a part of their national defensestrategies in the strategic arms race.