New Estimates Put Pakistan's Nuclear Arsenal At More Than 100

31 January 2011

WASHINGTON POST (WASHINGTON)--Analysts estimate that Pakistan now has over 100 nuclear weapons. Pakistan likely now has more nuclear weapons than its rival India and the United Kingdom. Pakistan has more than doubled its nuclear weapon total since 2007. The estimate comes independently from Hans M. Kristensen, director of the nuclear information project at the Federation of American Scientists, and Shaun Gregory, director of the Pakistan Security Research Unit at Britain's University of Bradford. Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/30/AR2011013004136.html?hpid=topnews (Reliability: 49.82 -- High)

Analysis:
It is highly likely that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal will become a major point of contention diplomatically between Russia, China, India, and the United States (U.S.). Russia recently has increased its cooperation with India and finds Pakistan's nuclear buildup "disturbing." China sees India as a major rival in the area and thus has invested heavily in Pakistan. The U.S. is caught in the middle due to partnerships with both India and Pakistan, along with the ongoing war in Afghanistan. (Analytic Confidence: Moderate)