According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India makes a big shift in nuclear weapon policy and has deployed 12 nuclear warheads.This report says that nuclear warheads and delivery systems were kept in different storage because of New Delhi's Policy. This SIPRI report claims that the arsenal is being operationally deployed. India has deployed ready-to-fire nuclear weapons in underground missile silos, which signals readiness. This represents nuclear warheads with delivery systems.
Also, there was a small spike in India's nuclear weapons stockpile. India has deployed a small number of warheads on SSBNs. It is estimated that India has a growing stockpile of 190 nuclear weapons as of January 2026. During peacetime, India stores nuclear warheads separate from its deployed launchers. Also, recently, the country has moved towards placing missiles in canisters. According to the SIPRI report, India is shifting its nuclear warheads with their launchers in peacetime.India has a no-first-use nuclear weapon policy and cannot initiate a nuclear strike. India can conduct a nuclear attack in retaliation and so ensures it maintains a limited nuclear arsenal.
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