A freshly released report by the Washington-based Federation of American Scientists (FAS) has brought new details about India's nuclear arsenal into public view. According to the think tank's assessment, India currently holds roughly 190 nuclear warheads, placing it among the handful of nations in the world with a sizeable nuclear stockpile. The report also notes that India possesses enough separated plutonium to manufacture approximately 35 additional warheads over the next few years, which could push its total inventory to around 225 warheads.
Of the approximately 190 warheads currently believed to be in India's possession, more than 160 are considered deployed or assigned to existing delivery systems, primarily land-based ballistic and cruise missiles. The remaining warheads are believed to support India's growing sea-based nuclear deterrent.
Perhaps the most significant finding of the report relates to India's maritime nuclear strategy. New Delhi is steadily building what analysts have described as a "nuclear shield" at sea. This is being accomplished through the deployment of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, commonly referred to as SSBNs. These submarines are designed to carry nuclear-capable K-series ballistic missiles and can remain submerged for extended periods, making them extremely difficult to detect and neutralize in a conflict scenario. This second-strike capability is a cornerstone of India's nuclear doctrine, which officially pledges no-first-use but reserves the right to retaliate massively if India suffers a nuclear attack.
The FAS report draws on open-source satellite imagery, defense budget analysis, and publicly available data on India's nuclear infrastructure. While the exact numbers remain subject to estimate due to the classified nature of nuclear programs, the report aligns with broader trends observed by global arms monitoring organizations such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
India has never publicly confirmed the precise size of its nuclear arsenal, maintaining a policy of strategic ambiguity. New Delhi joined the club of nuclear-armed states in 1998 after conducting a series of underground nuclear tests known as Operation Shakti. Since then, it has continued to modernize and expand its triad of nuclear delivery systems — land, air, and sea — with particular emphasis on enhancing its underwater deterrent capability.
The disclosure of these figures by a US-based research organization has reignited discussion about nuclear transparency, regional arms dynamics, and the balance of power in South Asia, where Pakistan maintains its own growing nuclear program.
