Explainer: Why Pakistan Should Look in the Mirror Before Threatening War on a Meagre Defence Budget
The defense lawyers say that the leaders of Pakistan are only issuing threats or dreaming like Sheikh Chilli. It is beyond their capacity to compete with India.
Ankush Pandey
India vs Pakistan military: Tensions between India and Pakistan are at their peak since the terrorist attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. The possibility of war between the two countries is not being ruled out. Meanwhile, many ministers of Pakistan are threatening India about the attack.
Pakistan's Railway Minister Mohammad Hanif Abbasi said that 130 nuclear bombs are ready for India. At the same time, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif and Pakistan's former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto have also threatened to teach India a lesson and go to war. Many small Pakistani leaders and army officers are also not missing out on making big statements. In such a situation, will there be a war this time?
If there is a war, will Pakistan, which is already burdened with skyrocketing inflation, poverty, hunger, unemployment and huge debt, be able to compete with India, which is the fifth economic superpower of the world and is moving towards becoming a superpower? Defense experts say that Pakistan's leaders are just threatening or dreaming like Sheikh Chilli. Today we will explain to you the strategic capabilities of both the countries through authentic data and where does Pakistan's defense stand in front of India. Why is India a lion and Pakistan a jackal?
Defence budget three times bigger than Pakistan
If we look at the defense budget of India and Pakistan, India's defense budget is three times that of Pakistan. India's defense budget for 2025-26 is Rs 6,81,210 crore, while Pakistan's defense budget is Rs 2,28,100 crore. That is, it is more than three times India's defense budget.
Military ranking
According to the Global Firepower Index, which considers 60 factors to determine a country's war capability, in terms of the world's most powerful armies, India ranks fourth, while Pakistan ranks 12th.
Fleet strength
India has a total of 2,229 military aircraft, which ranks it among the top 5 countries with the highest fighter aircraft fleet strength, with the US topping the list. Pakistan is at number seven on the list with 1,399 aircraft. India has 513 fighter jets while Pakistan trails with 328 fighter jets. When it comes to aerial tankers, India has six and Pakistan has four.
Navy strength
India is at number six with a fleet strength of 293 while Pakistan is at 27th with 121. Meanwhile, India has 2 aircraft carriers and Pakistan has none. Pakistan has no destroyers; India has 13. Talking about submarines, India is at the 7th spot and Pakistan is at the 11th spot, having 18 and 8 submarines, respectively.
Troop strength
India's army has 14,55,550 soldiers. With this, India ranks second in the world, while Pakistan ranks seventh with 6,54,000 personnel. Talking about paramilitary forces, India has 25,27,000, while the neighboring country has only 5,00,000.
Missiles and nuclear power
Both countries have nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. India has developed and deployed the Agni-V missile with a range of over 5,500 km and is working on the Agni-VI to counter threats from China and Pakistan. Pakistan's longest-range missile, the Shaheen-III, has a range of about 2,750 km.
It is now working on long-range ballistic missile technology with a potential range of over 3,000 km with assistance from China and Belarus. India is developing long-range missiles based on indigenous technology. India is also far ahead of Pakistan in missile and nuclear power.
Why is India ahead?
India's larger and more modern military, its advanced missile and nuclear capabilities together give it significant strategic and tactical strength. Pakistan, on the other hand, is caught up in its own domestic battles and is not capable of competing with India.
