On Monday, June 16, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Swedish think tank, released a latest report stating that countries with nuclear weapons are expanding their nuclear arsenals and gradually withdrawing from arms control agreements. The trend of nuclear disarmament after the Cold War is coming to an end due to global tensions, marking the beginning of a new era of threats worldwide.
According to the report, global tensions are prompting nine countries with nuclear weapons – the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel – to plan the expansion of their nuclear arsenals.
As of January 2025, it is estimated that there are 12,241 nuclear warheads globally, with around 9,614 warheads stored in military stockpiles that can be deployed at any time.
Additionally, about 2,100 warheads have been deployed on ballistic missiles, in a state of high operational alert, the majority of which are owned by the United States and Russia.
SIPRI stated that the current situation indicates that “the era of continued reduction in the number of nuclear weapons in the world since the end of the Cold War is coming to an end. Instead, we are witnessing the growth of nuclear arsenals, escalating rhetoric on nuclear issues, and a trend of countries abandoning arms control agreements.”
SIPRI pointed out that the United States and Russia collectively possess approximately 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons. Although the available number of nuclear warheads for the United States and Russia is generally stable in 2024, both countries are actively pursuing modernization plans for nuclear weapons or further expanding their respective nuclear arsenals in the future.
The report stated that China’s nuclear arsenal is growing at the fastest rate. Starting from 2023, China has been adding about 100 warheads annually, and in a decade, China may possess as many intercontinental ballistic missiles as the United States or Russia.
According to estimates, Russia has roughly 5,459 nuclear warheads, the United States has about 5,177 warheads, and China has around 600 warheads.