US and Russia Go 'Ballistic' Over Nuclear Weapons — Where Does India Stand?

President Donald Trump said that he has instructed Department of War to start testing "our Nuclear Weapons" to match testing programs of rivals after Russia announced trials of a nuclear-powered underwater

drone and nuclear-capable cruise missile in recent days. "That process will begin immediately," Trump said in a social media post shortly before meeting China’s leader in South Korea on Thursday. While Russia ( 4,380 nuclear warheads) and the US (with 3,700 warheads) together hold dominate the world’s nuclear-arsenal inventory, India remains a "second-tier" nuclear power globally, far behind the US and Russia but significant regionally.The US's last tested nuclear explosive in 1992, though it continues to test delivery systems — including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarines and bombers — with mock weapons. Russia's last known nuclear detonation, meanwhile, was in 1990.Russia on Wednesday said it tested an atomic-powered torpedo drone capable of carrying nuclear weapons days after its military hailed a trial of a long-distance cruise missile.The advanced weapons are designed to bypass missile defense systems.

The dramatic escalation in rhetoric and technological advancement by Russia and the US is heightening concerns of renewed arms-races and nuclear deterrence instability — especially for major regional powers like India..According to the Federation of American Scientists, both the US and Russia together hold roughly 87 % of the world’s nuclear-arsenal. Various sources estimate that as of January 2025 there are some 12,000–12,500 nuclear warheads held across the nine known nuclear-armed states. Russia-US Estimated Nuclear Warhead InventoriesRussia still holds the largest single nuclear arsenal in the world (in terms of total warheads), with a stockpile of approximately 4,380 nuclear warheads assigned for use by long-range strategic launchers and shorter-range tactical nuclear forces as of early 2024. A breakdown of the 4,380 warheads suggests that about 1,710 strategic warheads are deployed — approximately 870 on land-based ballistic missiles, and 640 on submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and possibly ~200 at heavy bomber bases. In addition, Russia is modernising its nuclear forces: it's reported that, as of December 2023, about 95 % of its nuclear triad (land, sea, air nuclear-capable forces) was made up of modern weapons and equipment.The US, meanwhile, has an estimated 3,700 warheads in its active military stockpile. The arsenal includes a mix of strategic (ICBMs, SLBMs, heavy bombers) and non-strategic (tactical) nuclear weapons. The exact number of tactical warheads is less transparent publicly.Despite the smaller number, Washington still retains a robust strategic triad (land, sea, air) and the capability to project nuclear deterrence globally.Under the New START treaty counting rules, the US and Russia are each limited to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads and 700+ launchers and bombers. While China has a much smaller arsenal of nuclear warheads, Beijing is rapidly increasing its inventory, according to US government assessments. China last tested a nuclear bomb in 1996, but it continues to test nuclear-capable missiles, including hypersonic missiles that are hard for missile defense systems to destroy.Where India StandsIndia is estimated to possess about 180 nuclear warheads as of January 2025, making it a "second-tier" nuclear power globally, far behind the US and Russia but significant regionally. India increased its arsenal year-on-year and in 2024–25 overtook its neighbour Pakistan (estimated ~170 warheads) in the number of warheads. India's inventory includes land, air and sea-based nuclear delivery systems — missiles (e.g., the Agni‑II, other “Agni” series) including intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) and further-range systems under development.

India has publicly declared a "No First Use" (NFU) policy historically (i.e., India states it will not use nuclear weapons pre-emptively). India's nuclear posture is shaped by two primary perceived threats: Pakistan and China. Thus, India's focus is on credible deterrence rather than large-scale strategic parity with the US or Russia.