Status of World Nuclear Forces

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which has signed the MOU with Hiroshima Prefecture, launches the SIPRI YEARBOOK 2026 and announces the latest status of nuclear forces.

As of January 2026, the total global inventory of nuclear warheads is estimated at 12,187. This represents a decrease of 54, compared with the number for January 2025, 12,241. The USA and Russia together possess approximately 86 percent of the total global inventory.

The SIPRI Yearbook notes that “the number of nuclear warheads in the world continues to decline, but this is only due to Russia and the USA dismantling retired warheads.” It also notes that “the number of warheads dismantled each year appears to be decreasing and it seems likely that the rate at which retired warheads are dismantled may soon be outpaced by the rate at which new warheads enter global stockpiles each year.”

The number of deployed warheads has remained the same for the USA but has increased for Russia. “China’s nuclear arsenal increased from around 600 warheads in January 2025 to approximately 620 in January 2026” and “it is expected to keep growing over the coming decade.” SIPRI estimates that “While the UK is not thought to have increased its nuclear weapon arsenal,” “its warhead stockpile will probably grow in the future.” SIPRI estimates that France possessed approximately 290 stockpiled nuclear warheads and probably had up to 80 retired warheads awaiting dismantlement. India’s nuclear weapons stockpile was estimated to have increased slightly from the previous year as of January 2026. SIPRI estimates that, “as of January 2026, North Korea had probably assembled around 60 warheads and possessed enough fissile material to potentially produce at least 90 warheads.”

​For the status of nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and nuclear security in 2025, please refer to the Hiroshima Report 2026.