6 Asian Countries Having Nuclear Weapons

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A nuclear weapon is a device that uses nuclear reactions to produce destructive explosions. The blast is much more powerful and deadly than that of conventional weapons as it releases four types of energy: a shock wave, intense light, heat, and radiation.

Because of its negative effects, many parties oppose the ownership of nuclear weapons in several countries. However, several nations in Asia consistently collect the most dangerous weapons on earth.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) reports that nine countries in the world possess nuclear weapons. They collectively possess a total of 12,700 nuclear warheads, 9,400 of which are in active military stockpiles. 

Six of these nations are in Asia. Since the annual UN General Assembly resolution in 2018, the five countries have consistently refused to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

As of January 22, 2021, 93 countries have ratified the treaty, according to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). 

Here is a list of six countries in Asia that possess nuclear weapons:

1. Russia

Russia is among the Asian countries by area, stretching from eastern Europe to northern Asia. It has the most confirmed nuclear weapons with 5,889. Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin in 2022, the government spent around US$9.6 billion, or Rp148 trillion at an assumed rate of Rp15,515 per US dollar, to build and maintain its nuclear forces.

2. China

China has 410 nuclear weapons. In 2022, the Xi Jinping government allocated US$11.7 billion, or Rp181 trillion, to maintain its nuclear weapons. Between 1964 and 1996, China conducted 45 nuclear tests on its territory.

3. Pakistan

Pakistan continued to develop its nuclear forces, spending around US$1 billion or Rp15 trillion in 2022. It has not been a signatory to the TPNW since 2018 and has around 170 nuclear weapons. It also conducted two nuclear tests in 1998.

4. India

India has armed its military with 164 nuclear weapons that it can launch from missiles and aircraft. In 2022, Bollywood’s country spent an estimated US$2.7 billion or Rp41 trillion to build and maintain its nuclear forces. India launched three nuclear tests between 1974 and 1998.

5. Israel

ICAN reports that Israel has an arsenal of 90 nuclear weapons that can be launched from missiles, submarines, and aircraft. The country, which is accused of committing genocide in Palestine, continues to maintain its nuclear forces, spending a budget of US$1.2 billion or Rp18 trillion in 2022.

6. North Korea

North Korea is one of the Asian countries possessing approximately 30 nuclear weapons. The country, led by Kim Jong Un, was recorded to have conducted six nuclear tests in 2006-2007 and is the only country to have conducted such tests in the 21st century. In 2022, North Korea spent US$589 million, or Rp9.1 trillion, to enhance its nuclear forces.

Other Asian countries, such as South Korea and Japan, a victim of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II, reportedly have no plans to acquire nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, ASEAN member countries, including Indonesia, ratified the Treaty of Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ Treaty) on December 15, 1995. Through this treaty, known as the Bangkok Treaty, ASEAN reaffirms the importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and contributing to international peace and security.

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