While tensions remain heightened with Pakistan in the aftermath of last year's Operation Sindoor, India has swiftly increased its nuclear arsenal to around 190 that also includes 30 additional warheads for new missiles under production, a report by nonprofit policy think tank of the United States (US) has said.
The report, published by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) on Wednesday, analysed a combination of open sources, commercial satellite imagery, and state-originating data to claim that more than 160 warheads are in India's nuclear arsenal for operational launchers.
"Based on available public information about its nuclear-capable delivery force structure and strategy, we estimate that India may have produced around 190 nuclear warheads," the report, 'India's Nuclear Weapons – 2026' which was penned by FAS Nuclear Information Project Director Hans Kristensen, said.
India has no-first-use nuclear policy that was adopted following the Pokhran-II tests in 1998, which the Modi government recently noted that New Delhi is "committed to maintaining credible minimum deterrence".
India modernising nuclear arsenal
According to the report, India has continued to modernise its nuclear arsenal and has fielded many new weapon systems in the past few years. It is also developing more weapon systems and replacing existing nuclear-capable aircraft, land-based delivery systems, and sea-based systems.
"We estimate that India may have produced enough military plutonium for 140 to 225 nuclear warheads and might have assembled up to 190. With more weapon systems in development, the country's warhead stockpile will likely increase further," it said.
Focus on producing weapon-grade plutonium
In the beginning of 2026, India reportedly produced approximately 730 kg (plus/minus about 170 kg) of weapon-grade plutonium, the FAS report said, citing the International Panel on Fissile Materials.
"Assuming approximately four kilogramme of plutonium per warhead, this would theoretically be sufficient for producing anywhere between 140 and 225 nuclear warheads," it said.
However, it said the calculation comes with some caveats due to several uncertainties, such as the warhead designs India has produced. India's 1998 nuclear tests reliably validated a fission design, but the country's progress on boosted fission and thermonuclear weapon designs remains highly uncertain, the article said.
"Regardless of the warhead designs, it is unlikely that India has used all its plutonium to produce warheads, and it may have kept some in reserve," the author noted. The article stated that the size of India's nuclear stockpile also depends on the number and types of launchers that can deliver them, as it is unlikely that it would produce significantly more warheads than these systems can launch.
(With inputs from PTI)
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