India has launched military strikes against Pakistan, putting the two nuclear-armed neighbours on the brink of an all-out war.
The flare-up means that two of the region’s largest militaries are again in face-to-face conflict.
The stand-off pits India, a global defence giant, against a country that may be much smaller, but is nevertheless heavily militarised and has dedicated a significant share of its resources to preparing for war.
As the world’s most populous nation, India has one of the largest militaries, numbering around 1.4 million active service personnel, which include 1.2 million in the army, 60,000 in the navy and 127,000 in the air force. India also has 1.6 million-strong paramilitary forces and a reserve of 1.1 million.
The country is a defence expenditure heavyweight. Its defence spend reached £58 billion ($77.4 billion) in 2024, the second-highest outlay in Asia after China.
Members of the national cadet corps train in Kolkata, India – NurPhoto/Sudipta Das
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s population is a fifth of the size and the country has been mired in an economic crisis for years.
Last year, Pakistan’s defence budget was estimated to have been a 10th of that of its eastern neighbour.
Pakistan has become heavily militarised to fend off Indian control, which has come at great cost to its democracy.
The military exerts significant control over the civilian government, with Gen Syed Asim Munir, the head of the army, widely seen as the most powerful man in the country.
While India’s military is increasingly deployed to face China, Pakistan has built up a defence posture and doctrine revolving almost entirely around India.
Pakistan fields a total of around 650,000 active service personnel, including 560,000 in the army, 23,800 in the navy and 70,000 in the air force. It also has 280,000-strong paramilitary forces, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
In limited exchanges, such as those seen in the past 24 hours, Pakistan can punch above its weight, though analysts say that Delhi’s numerical and economic superiority could come to bear very quickly in a full-blown war.
Pakistan has leaned heavily in recent years towards China for its arms, shifting away from more costly Western suppliers.
India has significant quantities of equipment from Russia, but has begun buying more from France and America.
On the battlefield, India is thought to have around 3,100 main battle tanks, including Arjun, T-72 and T-90 models.
Smoke rises after a missile strike by India against a target in Pakistan – PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP
Pakistan has around 2,500, which include Al-Khalid, T-80, T-54/55, Type-59/Al Zarrar, Type-69 and Type 85 models.
Each country also has a significant air force. India has a mixture including Dassault Rafale fighters, Sukhoi Su-30s and MiG-29s, MiG-27s and MiG-21s.
Pakistan has Chinese J-10s and JF-17s, as well as American F-16s, Mirage 3s and Mirage 5s.
The two countries may be closer to parity in their nuclear weapons.
An explosion in the western Indian state of Rajasthan during an air exercise – Manish Swarup/AP
India conducted its first nuclear test in 1974 and Pakistan became a nuclear power in 1998.
India has never declared the size of its nuclear armament, but one assessment places the country’s stockpile at 160 nuclear warheads, according to the Centre for Arms Control and Nuclear Proliferation. These can be deployed in land-based ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles and aircraft with nuclear bombs and missiles.
Pakistan is estimated to have around 170 warheads and nuclear-capable ballistic missiles of varying ranges. The country can also launch the weapons from planes. In 2017, Pakistan test-fired a submarine-launched missile, though this is not yet thought to be ready for use.
Even a small nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan could kill 20 million people in a week, according to the Centre for Arms Control and Nuclear Proliferation.
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