Indian Navy sailors monitor screens inside the Nuclear Biological Chemical Defence and Damage Control (NBCD) room of the INS Chennai ahead of its commissioning into the Indian Navy in Mumbai on November 18, 2016.
Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retired)
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2026 published in June, India has operationally deployed 12 nuclear warheads for the first time. This marks a significant departure from decades of cautious policy where India strictly stockpiled warheads and delivery systems in separate locations.
The newly deployed warheads are believed to be nested within its nuclear submarines and potentially underground missile silos to shorten reaction times. The assessment highlights that India’s total estimated inventory has risen from 180 warheads last year to 190 currently.
The report claims that this is the first time part of India’s arsenal has been classified as operationally deployed rather than just stockpiled. This shift signals the maturation of India’s sea-based deterrent and heightened readiness to counter rapidly expanding arsenals in the region (such as that of China, for instance).
