Stats IQ: ICBM Status

Context: The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has launched its annual (2023) assessment of the state of armaments, disarmament and international security.

Key findings

Major Nuclear Armed States	The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Israel continue to modernize their nuclear arsenals. These 9 countries have also deployed new nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2022.
Global Inventory of warheads	Total global inventory was 12,512 warheads in January 2023. 2000 warheads, belonging to Russia or the USA were kept in a state of high operational alert (they were fitted to missiles or held at airbases hosting nuclear bombers).
Russia and US	Russia and the USA together possess almost 90% of all nuclear weapons. Transparency regarding nuclear forces declined in US and Russia in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
China	China’s nuclear arsenal increased from 350 warheads in 2022 to 410 in 2023. China could have at least as many intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as either the USA or Russia by the turn of the decade.
India and Pakistan	India and Pakistan appear to be expanding their nuclear arsenals. Both countries introduced and continued to develop new types of nuclear delivery system in 2022. India’s arsenal grew to 164 warheads in 2023 from 160 in 2022. Pakistan’s arsenal grew from 165 to 170. Pakistan remains the main focus of India’s nuclear deterrent. India appears to be placing growing emphasis on longer-range weapons, including those capable of reaching targets across China.
North Korea	North Korea conducted more than 90 tests of missiles in 2022. Some of these missiles, which include new ICBMs, can carry nuclear warheads.
Analysis	Elevated nuclear competition has dramatically increased the risk that nuclear weapons might be used in anger. The five nuclear weapon states recognized by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty seem negligent about their commitment to disarmament. Nuclear arms control and disarmament diplomacy suffered major setbacks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Iran’s military support to Russia in Ukraine has overshadowed talks on reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement meant to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The impacts of the war in Ukraine are visible in almost every aspect of the issues connected to armaments, disarmament and international security .