SIPRI report warns of rising nuclear weapons risks

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that as of January 2026, global nuclear forces possessed at least 12,187 warheads. Of this total, 9,745 warheads are held in stockpiles for potential deployment. While the overall number of nuclear weapons has seen a slight decline compared to the previous year due to the dismantling of Cold War-era assets, SIPRI director Karim Haggag noted that risks are increasing. The institute warns that the long-standing downward trend in nuclear inventories is expected to reverse. This shift is driven by a slowing rate of dismantling older warheads combined with the accelerated development of new ones. States are increasingly moving weapons out of storage and mounting them on operational delivery systems. SIPRI identifies the erosion of international arms control frameworks and heightened geopolitical competition as primary factors contributing to global instability.