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Following a deadly terror attack in Kashmir and India’s sharp military retaliation under Operation Sindoor, tensions between India and Pakistan have once again reignited global concerns about a potential conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. But how do these two South Asian rivals stack up against each other militarily?
Here’s a breakdown of India and Pakistan’s military capabilities across key domains as of 2025:
- Defence Budgets and Economic Muscle
- India: $86 billion (2024)
- Pakistan: $10.2 billion (2024)
India’s defence spending is more than eight times that of Pakistan, reflecting the size of its economy and strategic ambitions. With $627 billion in foreign exchange reserves compared to Pakistan’s $13.7 billion, India also has far greater capacity to sustain prolonged military operations and absorb economic shocks.
- Manpower: The Numbers Game
Metric India Pakistan
Active personnel 1.45 million 654,000
Reserve personnel 1.15 million 550,000
Paramilitary forces 2.5 million 500,000
India’s vast population of over 1.4 billion gives it a deep bench of manpower. It has more than double Pakistan’s active troops, with massive paramilitary and reserve strength that can be mobilized in crises.
- Air Power: Commanding the Skies
India has a decisive edge in the air:
Capacity India Pakistan
Total Aircraft 2,200+ -1400
Fighter Jets 513 328
Attack Aircraft 130 90
Helicopters (all types) 899 373
Attack Helicopters 80 57
India’s diversified fleet includes advanced fighters like the Rafale and indigenous platforms like the Tejas, supported by robust aerial refuelling and surveillance assets.
- Ground Forces: Heavy Metal and Firepower
Capacity India Pakistan
Tanks 4,201 2,627
Artillery regiments 200+ Fewer
India leads in both quantity and quality of armour and artillery. It also has a stronger indigenous defence manufacturing base, enabling steady production of rockets, shells, and propellants—a crucial edge in prolonged wars as ammunition stocks dwindle.
- Naval Power: Sea Control in the Indian Ocean
Capacity India Pakistan
Total naval vessels 293 121
Aircraft carriers 02 0
Submarines 18 08
Destroyers 13 0
India’s blue-water navy, bolstered by island bases and forward logistics in the Indian Ocean, far exceeds Pakistan’s coastal-focused fleet.
- Nuclear Capabilities: Deterrence on Both Sides
Both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons, but their doctrines differ:
- India follows a No First Use (NFU) policy.
- Pakistan maintains ambiguity with a First Use posture, especially in response to conventional threats.
Although nuclear parity exists in terms of warheads, India has made significant strides in second-strike capabilities (like submarine-launched ballistic missiles), adding complexity to the deterrence landscape.
- Logistics and Infrastructure: The Hidden Advantage
Infrastructure determines how fast forces can mobilize and sustain operations:
Infrastructure Metric India Pakistan
Road length 6+ million km Far fewer
Airports 311 Significantly less
Major ports 56 3
India’s massive road and port network, along with broader airfield coverage, provides significant logistical flexibility.
- Geography: Depth vs Speed
Pakistan is geographically vulnerable with limited strategic depth (barely 270 miles across at its widest point near Islamabad). However, this also means shorter internal supply lines and quicker troop mobilization to key flashpoints like the Line of Control or the International Border.
India’s larger geography and deeper infrastructure enable sustained operations, but troop mobilization across vast distances can be time-consuming.
- Recent Conflict: Operation Sindoor
The most recent confrontation began with a terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April, killing 26 people. India blamed Pakistan-based terrorists, a charge denied by Islamabad. On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking targets described as “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan.
After weeks of tit-for-tat exchanges, military operations ceased following high-level talks between the two nations’ Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) after Pakistan’s urgent request for a ceasefire. India is seen as having gained the upper hand, damaging Pakistan’s military assets and strategic credibility.
India’s Overwhelming Edge, But Caution Remains
India holds clear advantages across almost every dimension of conventional military power: budget, manpower, airpower, naval strength, and infrastructure. Yet Pakistan remains a formidable adversary, mainly due to:
- Its nuclear doctrine
- Rapid reaction forces
- Battle-hardened troops with extensive experience in asymmetric warfare
- While outright war remains unlikely due to the catastrophic potential of nuclear escalation, flare-ups like Operation Sindoor underscore the need for constant vigilance and strategic deterrence.
Team BharatShakti
