June 14, 2021
2 mins read

Global N-warhead stockpile growing, warns SIPRI

The institute also pointed out that China is modernizing and expanding its nuclear weapon inventory, along with India and Pakistan….reports Asian Lite News

The overall number of nuclear warheads in global military stockpiles appears to be increasing this year, a new finding released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Monday reveals.

“The nine nuclear-armed states – the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) – together possessed an estimated 13 080 nuclear weapons at the start of 2021. This marked a decrease from the 13 400 that SIPRI estimated these states possessed at the beginning of 2020,” SIPRI said.

However, SIPRI research shows that this declining trend appears to have stalled.

“Despite this overall decrease, the estimated number of nuclear weapons currently deployed with operational forces increased to 3825, from 3720 last year,” the research institute said.

According to SIPRI, the US and Russia continued to reduce their nuclear weapon arsenals in 2020, but both are estimated to have had around 50 more nuclear warheads in operational deployment at the start of 2021 than a year earlier.

ALSO READ: Countless Afghan kids work on streets due to poverty, war

“Both countries’ deployed strategic nuclear forces remained within the limits set by the 2010 Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START), although the treaty does not limit total nuclear warhead inventories,” SIPRI specified.

The institute also pointed out that China is modernizing and expanding its nuclear weapon inventory, along with India and Pakistan.

In February, Russia and the United States agreed to extend the New START treaty for five more years without renegotiating any of its terms. The treaty, now set to expire on February 5, 2026, is the only arms control agreement between two countries that is still in force.

The treaty limits each party’s nuclear arsenal to 1,550 deployed warheads, 800 launchers, and 700 missiles. Both the United States and Russia met the central limits of the New START Treaty in 2018, and have stayed at or below them ever since.

According to the White House, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden are expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues related to strategic stability and arms control during their Wednesday summit in Geneva. (ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ: ‘Russia might be weaker than it seems’

Previous Story

Workers quitting jobs in US at highest rate in decades

Next Story

‘Students won’t need jab proof to enter US’

Latest from -Top News

Border Sealed, Hopes on Hold

A Hindu family from Balochistan’s Sibi was reportedly denied entry into India after the closure of border crossing….reports Asian Lite News Pakistan and India’s decision to shut down the Wagah-Attari border crossing

West visits Cambodia to strengthen ties 

The visit also addresses shared security concerns, including combating serious organised crime and human trafficking, and future defence cooperation initiatives  The UK and Cambodia are collaborating to advance climate initiatives and promote

UK and Ukraine deepen community ties  

 Thousands of school children across the UK and Ukraine have applied to take part in a landmark 100 Year Partnership programme between the two countries   Thousands of school children across the
Go toTop

Don't Miss

‘31,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Killed in Two-Year War’

The Ukrainian President said he would not give the number

Patients, staff leave Al-Shifa hospital

The United Nations estimated 2,300 patients, staff and displaced Palestinians