Record $119 Billion Spent on Nuclear Weapons Worldwide

Post by : Shweta

According to a recent report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), global expenditure on nuclear arms has surged to an unprecedented $119 billion in 2025. This rise signifies an increase of $16.8 billion compared to the prior year, as the nine nations possessing nuclear capabilities shift their focus towards modernizing and sustaining their stockpiles.

Released on Tuesday, the report reveals that these nuclear states collectively allocated $471 billion over the last five years. ICAN cautions that all nine countries are committed to maintaining their nuclear arsenals for many years to come, despite global calls for disarmament.

The United States continues to dominate this spending, with an estimated $69.2 billion budgeted for its nuclear forces in 2025—an increase of $12.6 billion over the previous year. Notably, this figure surpasses the combined expenditures of all other nuclear nations.

Following the U.S. is China, with an estimated $13.5 billion in nuclear spending, and the United Kingdom at $12.6 billion. Russia's expenditure stands at about $9.5 billion, while France has allocated nearly $7.7 billion.

India's investment is pegged at $2.8 billion, with Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea allocating lesser amounts. North Korea's reported expenditure is the lowest among the nuclear states at approximately $656 million.

ICAN has criticized the upward trend in nuclear military spending, arguing that as governments invest in destructive capacities, they simultaneously reduce funding for critical global issues such as climate change and diplomatic efforts. In its report summary, the organization notes that commitments in these areas are diminishing.

ICAN contends that the escalating outlay on nuclear initiatives reflects a preference for weapon development over fostering international collaboration to address pressing global challenges.

The report's release followed remarks from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which indicated that nuclear-armed nations are drifting away from prior agreements designed to limit nuclear stockpiles, focusing instead on enhancing and expanding their existing arsenals.

Current estimates suggest that the nine nuclear powers collectively possess over 12,000 warheads, with the vast majority held by the United States and Russia. While the total number of warheads has greatly diminished since the Cold War, experts are increasingly worried that modernization efforts and geopolitical strain may incite a new arms race.

International efforts to promote nuclear disarmament persist, exemplified by the United Nations' 2017 adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a legally binding global agreement outlawing nuclear arms development, testing, and production.

So far, 99 countries have signed or ratified this treaty, but none of the nuclear-armed nations have joined.

For many years, arms control agreements between the United States and Russia have aimed at limiting their nuclear stockpiles. Starting in the early 1990s, several treaties were signed to downsize strategic arsenals. Yet, the New START treaty—the final significant agreement—expired in February without a replacement.

Security analysts warn that without new arms control measures, coupled with increased defense budgets and rising geopolitical tensions, future nuclear limitation efforts may become more complicated.

As government investments in nuclear modernization continue to rise, concerns surrounding global security and the future of disarmament are likely to remain at the forefront. Experts suggest that revitalized diplomatic efforts and international collaboration will be crucial in averting a potential new phase of nuclear competition.

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