By WorldSpokesperson News Desk
India is estimated to have about 190 nuclear warheads, including around 30 additional warheads for new missile systems under production, according to a new assessment by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).
The US-based nonprofit said India continues to expand and modernise its nuclear arsenal. The assessment draws on open-source information, government data and commercial satellite imagery.
The estimate broadly matches the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) assessment. SIPRI also estimated that India had 190 nuclear warheads in January 2026.
More Than 160 Warheads Linked to Operational Systems
The FAS assessment says more than 160 Indian warheads are assigned to operational launchers.
Around 30 additional warheads are linked to missile systems that remain under development or production. The report says India is continuing to develop new delivery systems alongside its existing nuclear forces.
Hans M. Kristensen, director of the FAS Nuclear Information Project, and his colleagues published the assessment under the title “Indian Nuclear Weapons, 2026.”
The researchers said India’s exact nuclear stockpile remains uncertain because the Indian government does not publicly disclose the size of its arsenal. Therefore, the figures represent estimates based on available evidence.
India Continues Nuclear Modernisation
The report says India has continued to modernise its nuclear forces in recent years.
The programme includes nuclear-capable aircraft, land-based ballistic missiles and sea-based missile systems. Several new systems have entered service, while others remain under development.
FAS estimates that India currently operates nine nuclear-capable systems. These include two aircraft systems, six land-based ballistic missiles and one sea-based ballistic missile system.
The researchers also expect India’s nuclear stockpile to grow as additional weapon systems move toward deployment.
India Has Large Plutonium Stockpile
The FAS assessment also examines India’s weapons-grade plutonium production.
The researchers estimate that India may have produced enough military plutonium for between 140 and 225 nuclear warheads. The estimate is based on available information about India’s fissile-material production.
The International Panel on Fissile Materials has estimated that India had produced about 730 kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium by the beginning of 2026.
However, the amount of plutonium does not directly indicate the number of assembled nuclear weapons. Actual warhead numbers remain uncertain.
SIPRI Also Estimates 190 Indian Warheads
SIPRI’s 2026 Yearbook independently puts India’s total nuclear inventory at about 190 warheads as of January 2026.
SIPRI estimates that India had 12 warheads deployed and 178 in reserve or non-deployed status. The institute also estimates Pakistan’s total inventory at 170 warheads.
SIPRI said all nine nuclear-armed states continued to modernise their arsenals during 2025. It also warned that nuclear risks are increasing amid geopolitical tensions and advances in weapons technology.
More Nuclear Systems Could Increase Stockpile
FAS said India’s nuclear arsenal could increase further because several new systems remain under development.
The assessment indicates that India is seeking to strengthen its ability to deliver nuclear weapons from land, air and sea.
The expansion of delivery systems could increase the size and flexibility of India’s nuclear force. At the same time, independent researchers stress that open-source estimates carry significant uncertainty.
India does not publicly disclose the total number of nuclear warheads it possesses. Therefore, the figures from FAS and SIPRI should be treated as expert estimates rather than officially confirmed numbers.
