India Deploys 12 Nuclear Warheads In Big Policy Shift

New Delhi: Marking a significant shift in nuclear weapons policy, India has for the first time “deployed” 12 nuclear warheads. The revelation has been made in the latest report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The world’s top arms-tracking organisation, SIPRI, in its latest report reveals a massive departure from decades of New Delhi’s policy where nuclear warheads and delivery systems were kept in separate storage.

The report claims this is the first time India’s arsenal has been classified as operationally deployed, rather than stockpiled.

Deploying ready-to-fire nuclear weapons in underground missile silos and new nuclear submarines signals heightened readiness.

The 12 newly deployed warheads represent the first instance of India mating nuclear warheads with delivery systems or placing them at bases with operational forces, the report notes.

The SIPRI report further states that India’s nuclear weapons stockpile saw a small spike in the last year, while deploying a small number of warheads on a ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) and conducting deterrence patrols.