India Vs Pakistan: A Look At The Military Powers, Strength & Budget Of Two Nuclear Nations
Global Firepower ranks India at 4th position and Pakistan at 12th in terms of military strength. India spent 9 times more money than Pakistan did on defence in 2024
The India-Pakistan conflict has escalated in the past three days, with Islamabad launching 300-400 drones and a ballistic missile, Fateh-2, at nearly 26 cities, including the national capital, Delhi. All drones and missiles, however, have been intercepted and destroyed by the Indian air defence systems.
The Ministry of Defence in a statement said the Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such 'aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch".
Here is a look at the comparison of the military strength of the two neighbouring countries.
Military Ranking
With a population of over 1.4 billion, India leads in most military strength metrics between the two neighbours.
The Global Firepower ranks India at fourth number, while Pakistan is at the 12th position among 145 countries considered for the annual GFP review.
Meanwhile, according to Military Watch Magazine, India falls among Tier 2 military powers, while Pakistan falls among Tier 3 military powers.
Defence Budget
In the 2025 Union Budget, India allocated Rs 6.8 lakh crore for the defence sector for FY 2025-26, including Rs 1.8 lakh crore for the modernisation of the military. India's defence budget accounted for 1.9% of India's projected gross domestic product (GDP) for 2024-25 and 13.45% of the government's budget.
Meanwhile, in June 2024, Pakistan allocated Rs 2.12 lakh crore (Pakistani Rs) or Rs 64,082 crore (Indian Rupee) for FY 2024-25. Pakistan-based Dawn News reported last year that the allocation for the armed forces in the next fiscal year (FY 25-26) is set at 1.7% of GDP.
According to Swedish think tank the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India spent nine times more money than Pakistan did on defence in 2024.
The data showed India's defence spending totalled $86.1 billion in 2024, while Pakistan's military expenditure stood at $10.2 billion.
The report showed that the five largest military spenders globally—the United States, China, Russia, Germany, and India—accounted for 60% of total worldwide military expenditures, amassing a combined total of $1,635 billion.
Ground Forces' Strength
According to Global Firepower data, India's 'Available Manpower" stands at 662,290,299, while that of Pakistan is said to be around 108,516,336.
India has around 51,37,550 (51 lakh) military personnel and Pakistan has approximately 17,04,000 (17 lakh) military personnel, as per the data.
Meanwhile, there are 14 lakh active personnel in the Indian military, as per Global Firepower, and 6.5 lakh active personnel in the Pakistani military.
According to Military Watch Magazine, India has 4,241,500 combat personnel, while Pakistan has 964,000 combat personnel.
Lowdown On Army, Navy And Air Force Strength
The Indian Army has 21 lakh personnel while Pakistan has 13,11,500 personnel. The Indian Air Force has 3,10,575 personnel while Pakistan has 78,128.
India has 1,42,252 Naval personnel while Pakistan has 1,24,800 personnel.
The Indian Navy has 293 assets, including two aircraft carriers, 13 destroyers, 14 frigates, 18 Corvettes, 135 patrol vessels and 18 submarines.
In comparison, Pakistan has 121 assets including nine frigates, 69 Patrol vessels, nine Corvettes, eight submarines and three mine warfare. It has zero aircraft carriers or destroyers, as per Global Firepower.
India has 2,229 aircraft (1,672 readiness), while Pakistan has 1,399 (797 readiness) aircraft.
According to Global Firepower, India has 513 fighters in comparison to Pakistan's 328. India has 899 helicopters while Pakistan has 373.
According to Military Watch Magazine, the Indian Army has 3,982 battle tanks while the Pakistani Army has 2,687.
India's total artillery are 1,922 while Pakistan's is 1,842. India's total Armoured Fighting Vehicles are 3,200 in comparison to Pakistan's 2,600.
First Published:
May 10, 2025, 12:55 IST
News explainers India Vs Pakistan: A Look At The Military Powers, Strength & Budget Of Two Nuclear Nations
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