India deploys nuclear warheads for first time, SIPRI says

India has deployed a small number of nuclear warheads for the first time, according to a new global assessment, signaling a potential shift in the country's longstanding nuclear posture. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimates that India now possesses 190 nuclear warheads, with approximately 12 of them operationally deployed as of January 2026.

This development marks a departure from India's traditional practice of storing warheads separately from launchers during peacetime. The think tank's annual yearbook, released on June 8, suggests the deployed warheads are likely aboard a ballistic missile submarine conducting occasional deterrence patrols. This move indicates a higher state of readiness for India's strategic forces, even as the country maintains its declared "no first use" policy.

India's nuclear modernization is increasingly focused on developing long-range weapons capable of reaching targets throughout China, though strategic planning continues to be heavily influenced by its rivalry with Pakistan. The report notes India's progress in multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) technology and the development of hypersonic...