Pakistan could emerge as the fifth-largest nuclear power in the world by 2025, according to the latest Nuclear Notebook report by Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. With a current stockpile of 110-130 warheads, India’s neighbour continues to expand its nuclear arsenal and production of fissile material, which could grow to 220-225 warheads by 2025, claimed the report.

Currently, only five countries – the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China – are considered "nuclear-weapon states" under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, even though India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea also possess nuclear warheads.

Hans M Kristensen, one of the authors of the report, told the Times of India that Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons were intended more for use against a large Indian conventional invasion and occupation of Pakistani territory, and not any limited anti-terror operation on its own soil. On Tuesday, Pakistan foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhury had confirmed that the country has developed short-range nuclear weapons aimed at deterring any conventional attack from India.