Pahalgam terror attack fallout: How militaries, nuclear arsenal of India and Pakistan compare

Time of India

01-05-2025

The recent terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 tourists has sharply escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, raising fears of a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Pakistan claims to have credible intelligence suggesting that India intends to launch military action soon, further intensifying the already fragile situation in the region.
Since the attack, the militaries of India and Pakistan have exchanged sporadic gunfire along the disputed Line of Control (LoC), and diplomatic relations have deteriorated sharply.
With military conflict being a distinct possibility, here's a detailed look at the defense forces and arsenals of India and Pakistan, drawing on data from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies and other authoritative sources, to understand the military balance amid this crisis.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Personnel and forces
India maintains a significantly larger and more powerful military force compared to Pakistan.
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, India has approximately 1.4 million active military personnel, including 1.23 million in the Army, 75,500 in the Navy, 149,900 in the Air Force, and 13,350 in the Coast Guard.
In contrast, Pakistan's active military numbers fewer than 700,000, with 560,000 in the army, 70,000 in the air force, and 30,000 in the navy.
India also fields a much larger paramilitary force of about 2.5 million personnel, compared to Pakistan's approximately 500,000 paramilitary members. This disparity enhances India's capacity for internal security and counterinsurgency operations, especially in volatile regions like Kashmir.
Defense budgets
India's defense budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 is estimated at around $79 billion, reflecting a nearly 10% increase over the previous year.
Pakistan's defense budget is significantly smaller, at approximately $7.6 to $8 billion.
This vast difference in funding allows India to invest heavily in modernising its military hardware, procurement, and maintenance, while Pakistan faces more constrained resources.
Armored and mechanised forces
India possesses about 4,201 tanks, including advanced models such as the T-90 Bhishma and the indigenous Arjun tanks.
Pakistan fields approximately 2,627 tanks, a smaller armored fleet in comparison. In terms of artillery, India has 9,743 units, while Pakistan has 4,619.
Air and naval capabilities
India operates a fleet of roughly 730 combat-ready aircraft, including modern fighters like the Rafale jets, while Pakistan has about 452 aircraft.
The Indian Navy is also more formidable, with 16 destroyers, 16 frigates, and two aircraft carriers, compared to Pakistan's navy, which includes eight submarines and 10 frigates.
Nuclear arsenal and missile capabilities
Both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons, with India recently surpassing Pakistan in the number of warheads for the first time in over two decades. India is estimated to have around 180 nuclear warheads, while Pakistan has approximately 170.
This shift reflects India's ongoing nuclear modernization efforts, including the deployment of Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs) on its Agni-V ballistic missiles, which significantly enhance its strike capabilities.
India's Agni-V missile has a range of 5,000 to 8,000 kilometers, capable of reaching targets across the region and beyond, including China.
Pakistan's Shaheen-3 missile, still under development, has a range of around 2,750 kilometers, sufficient to cover all of India depending on launch location.
Both countries are working to develop a nuclear triad-capabilities to launch nuclear weapons from land, sea, and air-which adds to the complexity of deterrence and escalation risks in the region.
Advantage India
The military imbalance between India and Pakistan is stark, with India's conventional forces and defense budget far outstripping Pakistan's.
This disparity has pushed Pakistan to rely more on asymmetric strategies, including its nuclear deterrent, to offset India's superiority. The recent
Pahalgam attack
and subsequent threats of military action have brought these dynamics into sharp focus.
India's nuclear doctrine has traditionally emphasized 'No First Use,' but recent statements suggest potential flexibility in response to major terrorist attacks linked to Pakistan, especially if chemical or biological weapons are involved.
India's ongoing development of a
nuclear triad
and MIRV capabilities further complicates the strategic calculus, increasing the risks of escalation in any conflict scenario.