As a type of non-lethal weaponry, explosive tear gas ammunition is categorized for its significant roles in counter-terrorism, stability maintenance, crowd dispersal, and training exercises. The domestic and international research progress on explosive tear gas ammunition was systematically reviewed, with its structural composition, operational mechanisms, deployment methods, technological advancements, and safety considerations were analyzed. Future development trends indicate that the ammunition structure will be simplified while incorporating greater functional diversity. The loaded agents are expected to exhibit progressively reduced toxicity alongside enhanced irritant potency. Deployment methods will evolve from traditional hand-throwing and firearm projection to include specialized launchers and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch systems. Overall, explosive tear gas ammunition is advancing toward enhanced efficiency, precision, safety, multi-functionality, and environmental compatibility.