VII. Pakistani nuclear forces

Chapter:

10. World nuclear forces

Source:

SIPRI Yearbook 2022

Author(s):

Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda

According to SIPRI estimates, Pakistan possessed approximately 165 nuclear warheads as of January 2022, around the same number as the previous year (see table 10.8). The Pakistani government has never publicly disclosed the size of its nuclear arsenal. Limited official public data and widespread exaggerated news stories about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons mean that analysing the number and types of Pakistani warheads and delivery vehicles is fraught with uncertainty.¹ The estimates in this section are based on the authors’ analysis of Pakistan’s nuclear posture, Fissile material production, public statements by Western officials, and private conversations with Pakistani officials. The development of several new delivery systems and growing accumulation of Fissile materials suggests that Pakistan’s nuclear weapon arsenal and Fissile material stockpile are likely to continue to expand over the next decade, although projections vary considerably.²