The number of nuclear warheads that are available and deployed has increased internationally, according to a recent assessment published in the SIPRI Yearbook 2021.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which studies international weapons and conflict, publishes the SIPRI Yearbook.
SIPRI’s “Yearbook 2021” examines the condition of arms, disarmament, and international security today.

Key Points:

Nine Nuclear Armed States:

The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea are the nine nuclear-armed states.
At the beginning of 2021, these countries had a total of 13,080 nuclear weapons.
Russia and the United States combined control over 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons and are undergoing massive and costly modernization programmes.
The renewal of the New START pact has been authorised by both the US and Russia.
The Deal is the only remaining nuclear weapons control treaty between Russia and the United States, and it will expire in February 2021.
China now has 350 nuclear warheads, up from 320 at the beginning of 2020.
China is in the midst of a major modernization and expansion of its nuclear weapons stockpile.
India had 156 nuclear weapons at the start of 2021, up from 150 at the start of the previous year, and Pakistan had 165, up from 160 in 2020.
Under the nuclear threshold, India and Pakistan are exploring new technologies and capabilities that could jeopardise one other’s defence.
Low Transparency: The availability of trustworthy information on the status of nuclear arsenals and nuclear-armed governments’ capabilities varies greatly.

Largest Military Spenders:

Expenditure patterns in the United States and China influenced total spending growth in 2020. (first and second largest spenders respectively).
India spent USD 72.9 billion in 2020, up 2.1 percent from the previous year, making it the world’s third largest spender.

Importers of Big Arms:

From 2016 to 2020, SIPRI designated 164 countries as major arms importers.
Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Australia, and China were the top five countries in terms of weaponry imports, accounting for 36% of overall imports.
In terms of region, Asia and Oceania received the most important arms deliveries in 2016-20, accounting for 42 percent of the global total, followed by the Middle East, which received 33 percent.

Major Arms Suppliers:

From 2016 to 2020, the five largest suppliers – the United States, Russia, France, Germany, and China – accounted for 76 percent of total major arms exports.

Instances of Armed Conflict in the Recent Past:

The territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. In 2020, the situation essentially returned to the status quo of low levels of armed violence.
For the first time in more than five decades, border tensions between China and India in Kashmir’s disputed eastern Ladakh area became fatal in June 2020.
In November 2020, a new military conflict broke out in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region between federal government forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, killing thousands of people and forcing over 46, 000 refugees to escape to eastern Sudan.

Nuclear Weapons

About:

A nuclear weapon is a device that uses nuclear fission, fusion, or a combination of the two to release energy in an explosive manner.
Atomic bombs are generally referred to as fission weapons, while thermonuclear bombs or, more commonly, hydrogen bombs are used to describe fusion weapons.
In 1945, these were employed in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaties and Test Ban Treaties

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is a treaty that prohibits the spread of nuclear weapons (NPT).
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, Outer Space, and Under Water, often known as the Partial Test Ban Treaty, prohibits nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and under water (PTBT).
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) was signed in 1996, although it has yet to take effect.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will take effect on January 22, 2021.
Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regime, Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, and Wassenaar Arrangement are some of the other related initiatives.

MCQs for practice:

Consider the following statements regarding Global Expansion of Nuclear Arsenal: SIPRI Report:
The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea are the nine nuclear-armed states.
Russia and the United States combined control over 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons
India has more nuclear weapons than Pakistan.

Select the correct statements:

Correct answer: A

The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea are the nine nuclear-armed states.
Russia and the United States combined control over 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons and are undergoing massive and costly modernization programmes.
India had 156 nuclear weapons at the start of 2021, up from 150 at the start of the previous year, and Pakistan had 165, up from 160 in 2020.
Under the nuclear threshold, India and Pakistan are exploring new technologies and capabilities that could jeopardise one other’s defence.

Consider the following statements:
A nuclear weapon is a device that uses nuclear fission only.
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is a treaty that prohibits the spread of nuclear weapons.
At the beginning of 2021, these countries had a total of 13,080 nuclear weapons.

Select the incorrect statements:

Correct answer: A

A nuclear weapon is a device that uses nuclear fission, fusion, or a combination of the two to release energy in an explosive manner.
Atomic bombs are generally referred to as fission weapons, while thermonuclear bombs or, more commonly, hydrogen bombs are used to describe fusion weapons.
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is a treaty that prohibits the spread of nuclear weapons.
At the beginning of 2021, these countries had a total of 13,080 nuclear weapons.

Global Expansion of Nuclear Arsenal: SIPRI Report