India vs Pakistan: Whose Army is Stronger?
Pakistan has announced that its military has shot down 25 Indian drones that were attacking various cities in the country. The drone attacks came after the Indian military launched air strikes on Pakistan.
"This is another military aggression by India," said Pakistani army spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.
India, for its part, claimed to have "neutralized" Pakistani drones and missiles approaching its territory.
How do the armies of these two countries compare in terms of military power?
Drones
Both countries are expanding their drone fleets - both through imports and through the development of their own technology and production. India currently leads in the number of drones. BBC military expert Rahul Bedi says that within two to four years, the Indian army will have about 5,000 drones.
In 2024, India signed an agreement with the US State Department to purchase 31 MQ-9B SkyGuardian combat and SeaGuardian naval drones.
Although Pakistan has fewer drones than India, its military drones have a variety of capabilities, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision strikes.
The main advantage of Pakistani drones is the experience they have gained in using them in combat operations. For example, Pakistan's Buraq drone has been successfully used in counter-terrorism operations since 2015.
Pakistan, like India, is actively importing the most advanced drones – mainly from Turkey and China.
Military spending and number of armies
India's army is 1.4 million strong, ranking the country as the fourth most militarily powerful country in the world, according to the independent Global Firepower Index. Pakistan's army is much smaller, with 654,000 personnel.
According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India's defense spending in 2024 was nine times higher than Pakistan's.
In terms of ground forces, India has over 4,200 tanks and 1.5 million armored vehicles, while Pakistan has over 2,600 tanks and less than 18,000 armored vehicles.
The Indian Air Force has 2,229 aircraft, including 513 fighters and 130 bombers. According to the Global Firepower Index, Pakistan has 830 fewer aircraft.
The Indian Navy has 293 ships at its disposal, more than double that of Pakistan.
Missiles and nuclear weapons
Pakistan's missile program lags slightly behind India's, and includes cruise and ballistic operational-tactical missiles, as well as medium- and short-range missiles.
India has a wider range of missiles: these are the Prithvi missiles with a range of 250 to 600 kilometers; the Agni series missiles with a range of 1,200 to 8,000 kilometers, as well as the Nirbhaya and Brahmos series of cruise missiles.
The presence of missiles of various ranges in India indicates the country's intention to contain China, with which it also has territorial disputes.
However, the diversity of the missile arsenal does not mean that India can easily defeat Pakistan - it is important to remember that both countries possess nuclear weapons.
According to SIPRI estimates, India has 172 nuclear warheads and Pakistan has 170.
However, there is no reliable information on how many of these nuclear warheads are in combat readiness in the two countries.
Pakistan is currently developing nuclear weapons to compete with India, while India is focusing on developing long-range missiles that can also be targeted at China.
The consequences of a potential conflict could be catastrophic, as China, a neighbor of India and Pakistan, has also increased its nuclear arsenal by 22 percent, increasing the number of warheads from 410 to 500.
The stakes in this conflict are very high, which is why the international community is calling on both countries to exercise restraint.
Source: BBC
