The growing military tensions between India and Pakistan and the increasing possibility of war between the two sides highlight the need to review the balance of military capabilities between the two countries more than ever before. Although India is superior militarily in many areas, Pakistan's nuclear deterrence capability is still considered an important factor in regional calculations.
Publish dateTuesday 29 April 2025 - 08:36
Story Code : 314226
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: Al Jazeera News Network, in a report, examined the balance of power between these two regional sides in light of the rising border tensions between India and Pakistan and wrote that after border clashes between the two countries that have continued since 1947, the incident that occurred on April 22, which killed at least 24 people and injured dozens more, led to increased inflammation in the border areas and the closure of land crossings and airspace between the two sides.
According to the report, these successive events could intensify discussions about the balance of power, especially in light of the possibility of war between the two sides, both nuclear powers. Just like a similar incident that occurred in 1999, when Kashmiri militants invaded the Indian part of the region and captured the Kargil hills, but India retook these areas with a massive attack on the region.
The common border between India and Pakistan is more than 3,300 kilometers. According to the assessment of the Global Firepower website, which is considered the official reference for ranking the military capabilities of countries, the strengths and weaknesses and defense balance between the two sides include the following:
According to Mehr, in terms of military ranking, India is ranked fourth among the world's armies, and Pakistan is ranked twelfth. The total population of India, which is one of the factors of its power, is more than 1.4 billion people, while the population of Pakistan is 252 million. India has a workforce of 662 million and Pakistan has a workforce of over 108 million.
India has about one and a half million active military personnel, while Pakistan has 654,000. In terms of reserve forces, India has about 1.1 million reserve military personnel, while Pakistan has about 550,000.
India’s annual military budget is over $75 billion, while Pakistan’s is estimated to have less than $8 billion. In contrast, India’s external debt is over $371 billion, while Pakistan’s debt is less than $93 billion.
Although India’s total population is more than 5 times that of Pakistan, Pakistan’s average military personnel per population is higher than India’s. India has spent more than 10 times Pakistan’s on equipping, training, and developing its military industries.
India’s area is also about 4 times that of Pakistan, which is in addition to its extensive coastline on the seas and oceans, giving the country a significant diversity in land and sea transportation and trade routes. India also has many strategic natural resources, but these natural resources do not cover all the domestic needs of the country. This is also true for Pakistan.
The number of commercial ships in India is 1859, while Pakistan has 60. India has 311 airports, while Pakistan has only 116. In terms of ports and docks, India has 56 ports and Pakistan has 3 ports.
Military partners of India and Pakistan
Pakistan has initiated extensive relations with China and Turkey to develop its air systems and has signed contracts with these countries to purchase Chinese "FC-31" fighters. Islamabad has also purchased fifth-generation "Qa'an" fighters from Turkey. On the other hand, India has used advanced weapons from the United States and the Israeli regime and has made great efforts to expand its domestic military capabilities. India has indigenous fighters called "Tijaz" and submarines, armored equipment, long-range missiles and advanced defense systems.
New Delhi has increased its military partnership with the United States over the past years and considers it its main military partner. Cooperation between India and Israel has also played a significant role in the development of the country's missile systems and drones and its air defense systems.
Ground forces
The total number of tanks in India is 4201, while this figure for Pakistan is about 2627. India has nearly 150,000 armored vehicles, while Pakistan has only 18,000. India has about 100 automatic artillery pieces, while Pakistan has more than 662. India has 264 mobile missile launchers, while Pakistan has about 600.
India and Pakistan also continue their arms race in strategic weapons, such as ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. India has the Agni intercontinental ballistic missile, which has a range of more than 5,000 kilometers. Pakistan also uses its Shaheen missiles, which have a range of between 2,500 and 3,000 kilometers. The number of nuclear warheads in the two countries is estimated to be between 200 and 250.
Military experts believe that Pakistan has rapidly expanded its nuclear weapons fleet, with estimates suggesting that it has 165 nuclear warheads and the capacity to produce 30 warheads per year. Islamabad also has the Haft nuclear-capable missiles with a range of 300 kilometers. The fourth-generation missiles have a range of 750 kilometers.
Both countries have a variety of nuclear missile delivery systems, including strategic bombers, land-based ballistic missiles, and submarine-launched ballistic torpedoes. This is despite Pakistan’s view that nuclear weapons are essential to countering India’s military adventurism.
Air Force
In estimating the military capabilities of both sides, the following statistics can be mentioned in the air force: India's total aircraft is 2,229, while Pakistan's is 1,399. India has 513 fighter jets and Pakistan's is 328. India has 130 attack jets and Pakistan has 90. India has 270 transport aircraft, while Pakistan has 64. In terms of helicopters, India has 899 helicopters, while Pakistan has about 373. India has 80 attack helicopters, while Pakistan has 57.
India has modified aircraft such as the Mirage 2000H, the S-20, and the Jaguar IS to carry nuclear weapons, but its strength lies in the use of ground-based ballistic missiles to launch nuclear warheads.
The available statistics on the volume of weapons and air and land facilities of the two sides do not reflect the real figure of defense spending between the two countries, but rather these statistics show the relative superiority of Pakistan, but this component regarding the superiority of technology between the two sides is in favor of India.
Navy
Given the major difference in the length of the coastal borders between the two countries, there is no doubt that the Indian Navy has a significant quantitative and qualitative advantage over its Pakistani counterpart. In this regard, it is enough to know that India has two aircraft carriers, one of which is domestically produced.
The total equipment of the Indian Navy is 293 pieces, which shows the number for Pakistan as 121. India has 18 submarines and Pakistan has 8 submarines. This figure is also in favor of India in warships 14 to 9. India has 13 destroyers, while Pakistan has none, but Pakistan has 3 minesweepers, which India does not have.
According to the report, these successive events could intensify discussions about the balance of power, especially in light of the possibility of war between the two sides, both nuclear powers. Just like a similar incident that occurred in 1999, when Kashmiri militants invaded the Indian part of the region and captured the Kargil hills, but India retook these areas with a massive attack on the region.
The common border between India and Pakistan is more than 3,300 kilometers. According to the assessment of the Global Firepower website, which is considered the official reference for ranking the military capabilities of countries, the strengths and weaknesses and defense balance between the two sides include the following:
According to Mehr, in terms of military ranking, India is ranked fourth among the world's armies, and Pakistan is ranked twelfth. The total population of India, which is one of the factors of its power, is more than 1.4 billion people, while the population of Pakistan is 252 million. India has a workforce of 662 million and Pakistan has a workforce of over 108 million.
India has about one and a half million active military personnel, while Pakistan has 654,000. In terms of reserve forces, India has about 1.1 million reserve military personnel, while Pakistan has about 550,000.
India’s annual military budget is over $75 billion, while Pakistan’s is estimated to have less than $8 billion. In contrast, India’s external debt is over $371 billion, while Pakistan’s debt is less than $93 billion.
Although India’s total population is more than 5 times that of Pakistan, Pakistan’s average military personnel per population is higher than India’s. India has spent more than 10 times Pakistan’s on equipping, training, and developing its military industries.
India’s area is also about 4 times that of Pakistan, which is in addition to its extensive coastline on the seas and oceans, giving the country a significant diversity in land and sea transportation and trade routes. India also has many strategic natural resources, but these natural resources do not cover all the domestic needs of the country. This is also true for Pakistan.
The number of commercial ships in India is 1859, while Pakistan has 60. India has 311 airports, while Pakistan has only 116. In terms of ports and docks, India has 56 ports and Pakistan has 3 ports.
Military partners of India and Pakistan
Pakistan has initiated extensive relations with China and Turkey to develop its air systems and has signed contracts with these countries to purchase Chinese "FC-31" fighters. Islamabad has also purchased fifth-generation "Qa'an" fighters from Turkey. On the other hand, India has used advanced weapons from the United States and the Israeli regime and has made great efforts to expand its domestic military capabilities. India has indigenous fighters called "Tijaz" and submarines, armored equipment, long-range missiles and advanced defense systems.
New Delhi has increased its military partnership with the United States over the past years and considers it its main military partner. Cooperation between India and Israel has also played a significant role in the development of the country's missile systems and drones and its air defense systems.
Ground forces
The total number of tanks in India is 4201, while this figure for Pakistan is about 2627. India has nearly 150,000 armored vehicles, while Pakistan has only 18,000. India has about 100 automatic artillery pieces, while Pakistan has more than 662. India has 264 mobile missile launchers, while Pakistan has about 600.
India and Pakistan also continue their arms race in strategic weapons, such as ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. India has the Agni intercontinental ballistic missile, which has a range of more than 5,000 kilometers. Pakistan also uses its Shaheen missiles, which have a range of between 2,500 and 3,000 kilometers. The number of nuclear warheads in the two countries is estimated to be between 200 and 250.
Military experts believe that Pakistan has rapidly expanded its nuclear weapons fleet, with estimates suggesting that it has 165 nuclear warheads and the capacity to produce 30 warheads per year. Islamabad also has the Haft nuclear-capable missiles with a range of 300 kilometers. The fourth-generation missiles have a range of 750 kilometers.
Both countries have a variety of nuclear missile delivery systems, including strategic bombers, land-based ballistic missiles, and submarine-launched ballistic torpedoes. This is despite Pakistan’s view that nuclear weapons are essential to countering India’s military adventurism.
Air Force
In estimating the military capabilities of both sides, the following statistics can be mentioned in the air force: India's total aircraft is 2,229, while Pakistan's is 1,399. India has 513 fighter jets and Pakistan's is 328. India has 130 attack jets and Pakistan has 90. India has 270 transport aircraft, while Pakistan has 64. In terms of helicopters, India has 899 helicopters, while Pakistan has about 373. India has 80 attack helicopters, while Pakistan has 57.
India has modified aircraft such as the Mirage 2000H, the S-20, and the Jaguar IS to carry nuclear weapons, but its strength lies in the use of ground-based ballistic missiles to launch nuclear warheads.
The available statistics on the volume of weapons and air and land facilities of the two sides do not reflect the real figure of defense spending between the two countries, but rather these statistics show the relative superiority of Pakistan, but this component regarding the superiority of technology between the two sides is in favor of India.
Navy
Given the major difference in the length of the coastal borders between the two countries, there is no doubt that the Indian Navy has a significant quantitative and qualitative advantage over its Pakistani counterpart. In this regard, it is enough to know that India has two aircraft carriers, one of which is domestically produced.
The total equipment of the Indian Navy is 293 pieces, which shows the number for Pakistan as 121. India has 18 submarines and Pakistan has 8 submarines. This figure is also in favor of India in warships 14 to 9. India has 13 destroyers, while Pakistan has none, but Pakistan has 3 minesweepers, which India does not have.
avapress.com/vdchiknx-23nzid.01t2.html
Tags
Top hits
