Rising tensions between South Asian neighbors bring renewed attention to their military capabilities, including advanced missile systems and nuclear warheads
Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Sindh, Pakistan
As tensions escalate between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan following last week’s attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, both countries have placed their forces on high alert, raising concerns of a drift toward military confrontation.
The attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, has sparked fierce diplomatic exchanges and heightened military vigilance on both sides. Pakistan claims it has “credible intelligence” suggesting India could conduct military action, with no comment yet from New Delhi.
The two sides also traded conflicting claims about air force jets scrambling along the Kashmir border overnight on Wednesday.
Since partition and the end of British colonial rule in 1947, India and Pakistan have had a history marked by conflicts, diplomatic standoffs, and unresolved territorial claims. The neighbors have fought three full-scale wars – two of them over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Here is a comparative overview of the current conventional and strategic military capabilities of India and Pakistan:
Defense spending
India spent $86.1 billion on its military last year, marking a 1.6% increase compared to 2023, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
This places India as the fifth-largest military spender in the world and represents spending roughly nine times higher than Pakistan’s $10.2 billion in 2024.
India was also the world’s second-largest arms importer between 2020 and 2024, with Pakistan ranked fifth during the same timeframe.
Personnel power
India fields one of the largest standing armies globally, with over 1.47 million active-duty soldiers.
It has 1,237,000 personnel in the army, 75,500 in the navy, 149,900 in the air force, and 13,350 in the coast guard, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
Pakistan, in contrast, has approximately 660,000 active personnel – 560,000 in the army, 70,000 in the air force, and 30,000 in the navy.
India also has over 1.6 million – 1,616,050 – gendarmerie and paramilitary forces, with Pakistan’s figure at 291,000, IISS data shows.
In terms of reserve personnel, India has over 1.15 million – 960,000 for the army, 140,000 for the air force, and 55,000 for the navy – and 941,000 for gendarmerie and paramilitary forces, according to IISS.
For Pakistan, there are varying figures on military reserves, with the Global Firepower database placing the number at 550,000.
Air power
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has a numerical advantage with 730 combat-capable aircraft, including the French-built Rafale and the Russian SU-30MKI, according to IISS data.
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has 452 combat-capable aircraft, including American-made F-16 jets, JF-17 Thunders jointly made by China and Pakistan, and Mirage III/V fighter aircraft.
Naval power
India’s navy has 29 principal surface combatants – 2 aircraft carriers, 11 destroyers, and 16 frigates – and 160 patrol and coastal combatants, according to IISS figures.
Pakistan has 10 frigates, no aircraft carrier or destroyer, and 21 patrol and coastal combatants.
India also operates 16 submarines, including both nuclear-powered and conventional vessels, while Pakistan has 8 submarines.
Ground power
India possesses 3,740 main battle tanks compared to Pakistan’s 2,537, IISS data shows.
In artillery strength, India has over 9,743 units versus more than 4,619 for Pakistan.
Nuclear arsenal
Pakistan and India are among a select group of nations worldwide possessing nuclear arsenals.
According to SIPRI data, India has 172 nuclear warheads, slightly more than Pakistan’s arsenal of 170 warheads.
Missile capabilities
India possesses a wide array of missile systems, including nuclear-capable ballistic missiles of short-, medium-, and intermediate-range from the Agni and Prithvi series.
New Delhi has also test-fired its intercontinental ballistic missile Agni-V, which has the ability to carry multiple nuclear warheads and an operational range exceeding 5,000 kilometers (over 3,100 miles).
Pakistan has several nuclear-capable short- and medium-range ballistic missile systems, including the solid-fuel Shaheen series and the liquid-fueled Ghauri missiles.
Islamabad also has the nuclear-capable Babur cruise missile, which can be launched from the surface or submarine platforms. It has also test-fired the Shaheen-III ballistic missile, which can carry both nuclear and conventional weapons to targets up to 2,750 kilometers (over 1,700 miles) away.
Read: FACTBOX – Border crossings between India and Pakistan
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Aamir Latif is a senior journalist based in Karachi, Sindh. He represents Anadolu, a Turkish news agency.
Courtesy: Anadolu Agency (Posted on 01.05.2025)
