India is quietly putting its nuclear arsenal on a shorter fuse
India’s nuclear triad is a three-pronged military force structure that allows the country to launch nuclear strikes from land, sea and air. RT
#Opinion
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 stored in its nuclear submarines and potentially in 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 now.
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 (such as its Arihant-class submarines) and a heightened readiness to counter rapidly expanding arsenals in the region (such as China’s).
By deploying a small number of warheads (12 out of 190, according to SIPRI) on a ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) and conducting deterrence patrols, India seems to have achieved “continuous at-Sea deterrence,” a military strategy in which a country keeps at least one nuclear-armed SSBN continuously patrolling the oceans undetected.
Despite this operational shift in posture, India maintains its foundational No-First-Use (NFU) doctrine. India’s capability is designed purely to deter potential aggressors rather than engage in an arms race.
India faces a uniquely fraught security environment, with two nuclear‑armed neighbours. New Delhi has ongoing territorial disputes with both of them and a history of war with each. It is therefore important to understand how India’s deployment compares with the nuclear postures of China and Pakistan.
China’s nuclear weapons programme
China possesses the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal, with an estimated stockpile of over 620 warheads, SIPRI estimates. The programme is undergoing a rapid modernisation and expansion, shifting from a historical policy of “minimal deterrence” to a robust nuclear triad. China could have at least as many ICBMs as Russia or the USA by 2030, depending on how it structures its forces.
China’s land-based ICBMs include the DF-5B and the highly mobile DF-41. Hundreds of new missile silos have been constructed in remote regions to improve the survivability of forces.
The PLA Air Force deploys the H-6N, an intermediate-range, nuclear-capable bomber. Since its first nuclear test in 1964, China has maintained NFU as the official policy.
The primary purpose of China’s modernisation is to ensure a secure “second-strike” capability. Experts report that elements of China’s nuclear forces have moved towards a launch-on-warning posture, meaning they are ready to retaliate while incoming missiles are still in flight rather than waiting for them to detonate. China continues to upgrade its supporting infrastructure, including plutonium production capabilities and advanced explosive testing facilities.
Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme
Pakistan possesses an estimated 170 nuclear warheads, making it the sixth-largest nuclear-armed state globally, the SPIRI report shows. Initiated in 1972, its nuclear weapons programme was a response to regional tensions with New Delhi. Pakistan, like India, is not party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Islamabad’s nuclear strategy is based on “full-spectrum deterrence,” designed primarily to counter conventional military threats. Pakistan, moreover, does not maintain an NFU posture.
Its arsenal is deployed across a nuclear triad of land-, air-, and sea-based capabilities. A diverse range of ballistic and cruise missiles, including the Shaheen-III, which has a maximum range of 2,750 kilometres. Dual-capable aircraft such as the F-16 and Mirage III/V, supplemented by air-launched cruise missiles like the Ra’ad are the Air Vector. Submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs) are in development to solidify a robust sea-based second-strike capability. Storage of its nuclear payloads is well spread at different locations. The programme’s historical development was notably aided by nuclear technology procurement networks established by metallurgist Abdul Qadeer Khan.
India’s nuclear triad
India’s nuclear triad is a three-pronged military force structure that allows the country to launch nuclear strikes from land, air and sea. Fully operational since 2018, the triad underpins India’s nuclear doctrine of credible minimum deterrence (CMD) and its NFU policy.
The land leg forms the backbone of India’s strategic deterrence and relies heavily on the indigenous Agni series of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles. Agni-V is an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range exceeding 5,000 km and capable of reaching targets deep within Asia and Europe. It is canister-launched, providing high mobility and quick response times. The Agni-P and Agni-IV are advanced intermediate-range missiles ensuring complete coverage of the immediate region.
The air-based component (aircraft) provides flexible deployment and yield options. India’s airborne nuclear delivery is spearheaded by multi-role fighter-bombers equipped with nuclear gravity bombs or standoff missiles. The French-origin twin-engine multirole Rafale fighters are the primary modern strike aircraft for this mission. Mirage 2000 and Jaguar supersonic fighter jets have historically been configured for nuclear weapons delivery.
The sea leg is the most survivable and secretive part of the triad, ensuring India retains a robust second-strike capability even if land and air bases are destroyed. The fleet consists of indigenous Arihant-class Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) submarines. Arihant, India’s first indigenous SSBN, was commissioned in 2016 and successfully deployed on deterrence patrols. It is armed with K-15 Sagarika Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs, 750 km range).
In 2024, India commissioned another nuclear submarine, the INS Arighaat, to strengthen the sea-based deterrent. The third SSBN, INS Aridhaman, was quietly commissioned in April. It is equipped to carry the longer-range K-4 SLBMs (3,500 km range), drastically expanding India’s strategic reach from the ocean.
-Khmer Times-
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