Top 9 nuclear-armed countries in 2026: Check ranking for India, China, Pakistan
Top 10 nuclear forces and weapons countries in the World 2026: Of the estimated 12,187 nuclear warheads worldwide in January 2026, roughly 9,745 were maintained in military stockpiles and available for potential deployment.
He taught at several Indian institutions over the next decades and became a major voice committed to nuclear safety. Top 10 nuclear forces and weapons countries in the World: On June 8, 2026, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) launched its annual assessment of the state of armaments, disarmament and international security. The assessment concluded that states are increasingly relying on nuclear power despite increasing tensions and miscalculations.
From the Archives: Top 9 nuclear-armed countries in 2025: Where do India and Pakistan rank?
It has been noted that the nine nuclear-armed states: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Israel have continued programmes to enhance their nuclear arsenals in 2025. Most of these countries deployed new nuclear weapon systems during the year.
The vast majority of these warheads were held by Russia and the United States, with smaller arsenals maintained by France and the United Kingdom. However, China and India are now believed to occasionally keep a limited number of missile mounted warheads deployed even during peacetime. (Credit: Unsplash)
According to the report, Russia and the USA still possess around 83% of all stockpiled nuclear warheads (i.e. useable warheads). However, this share is considerably shrinking due to growth in the world’s other arsenals.
Currently, all the nine countries possess a total of 12,187 warheads, as estimated in early 2026. Compared to last year’s data from Federation of American Scientists (FAS) study, there is a decrease of 144 warheads.
Top 9 nuclear-armed countries in the world, as of early 2026:
| Rank | Country | Total Nuclear Warheads |
| 1 | United States | 5,042 |
| 2 | Russia | 5,420 |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 225 |
| 4 | France | 370 |
| 5 | China | 620 |
| 6 | India | 190 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 170 |
| 8 | North Korea | 60 |
| 9 | Israel | 90 |
| Total | 12, 187 |
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI Yearbook 2026).
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