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Top 9 countries with largest nuclear stockpiles in 2025-26: Russia leads ahead of the US; where does India rank?
Top 9 countries with largest nuclear stockpiles in 2025-26 list: The world’s nuclear stockpile has declined massively since the Cold War, from 70,300 nuclear warheads in 1986 to an estimated 12,321 in 2026.
Global Nuclear Powers in 2025-26: Here are the top 9 countries with the largest nuclear stockpiles in 2025-26. (Shutterstock)
Top 9 global nuclear powers in 2025-26: Amid unprecedented global insecurity and escalating geopolitical tensions, the world is on the verge of renewed nuclear weapons proliferation.
As of early 2026, the world’s top nine nuclear powers collectively hold an estimated 12,321 nuclear warheads, according to the Federation of American Scientists’ Status of World Nuclear Forces report.
At the top, Russia leads with the largest nuclear warhead stockpile—4,309 and a total inventory of 5,459, including retired weapons—as of the latest data updated in October 2025.
The United States follows closely, with 3,700 nuclear warheads in its stockpile and an inventory of 5,117.
Together, these two countries hold about 86 per cent of the world’s total inventory of nuclear weapons and 83 per cent of the stockpiled warheads available for use by the military.
Russia and the US are dismantling their previously retired warheads, which is reducing the world’s overall nuclear weapon inventory.
As a result, the world’s nuclear stockpile has declined massively since the Cold War, from 70,300 in 1986.
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However, the pace of reduction continues to be comparatively slower than in the past 30 years.
This is due to other nuclear powers, such as China, India, Pakistan, and more, adding to the number of warheads in global military stockpiles.
The report highlighted that no nuclear-armed state needs more than a few hundred nuclear weapons for national security.
Top 9 countries with the largest nuclear stockpiles in 2025-26:
Global Nuclear Arsenal Rankings
Status of World Nuclear Forces 2025–26
#1
Russia
Deployed Strategic
1,718
Deployed Nonstrategic
0
Reserve/Nondeployed
2,591
Military Stockpile
4,309
Total Inventory
5,459
#2
United States
Deployed Strategic
1,670
Deployed Nonstrategic
100
Reserve/Nondeployed
1,930
Military Stockpile
3,700
Total Inventory
5,177
#3
China
Deployed Strategic
24
Deployed Nonstrategic
n.a.
Reserve/Nondeployed
576
Military Stockpile
600
Total Inventory
600
#4
France
Deployed Strategic
280
Deployed Nonstrategic
n.a.
Reserve/Nondeployed
10
Military Stockpile
290
Total Inventory
370
#5
United Kingdom
Deployed Strategic
120
Deployed Nonstrategic
n.a.
Reserve/Nondeployed
105
Military Stockpile
225
Total Inventory
225
#6
India
Deployed Strategic
0
Deployed Nonstrategic
n.a.
Reserve/Nondeployed
180
Military Stockpile
180
Total Inventory
180
#7
Pakistan
Deployed Strategic
0
Deployed Nonstrategic
n.a.
Reserve/Nondeployed
170
Military Stockpile
170
Total Inventory
170
#8
Israel
Deployed Strategic
0
Deployed Nonstrategic
n.a.
Reserve/Nondeployed
90
Military Stockpile
90
Total Inventory
90
#9
North Korea
Deployed Strategic
0
Deployed Nonstrategic
n.a.
Reserve/Nondeployed
50
Military Stockpile
50
Total Inventory
50
Source: Federation of American Scientists' Status of World Nuclear Forces (October 2025)
Indian Express InfoGenIE
Source: Federation of American Scientists’ Status of World Nuclear Forces: data as of 31 October, 2025.
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Where does India rank?
India is ranked sixth in the world with 180 warheads, with the country’s stockpile having increased by 20% in the last five years, according to the report.
A look at the estimated global nuclear warhead inventories:
Estimated global nuclear warhead stockpiles of the top 9 nuclear power countries, from 1945 to 2025.
📣 Stay ahead with the most-read reports – click to view the Top 10!
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