The Military Strengths of India and Pakistan
What We’re Showing
This infographic compares the military capabilities of India and Pakistan in 2025, as tensions escalate with the ongoing armed conflict in the region.
The data comes from Global Firepower, SIPRI, the Federation of American Scientists, and the United Nations.
Key Takeaways
- India’s military spending is over 8x that of Pakistan, totaling $86.1 billion in 2024 compared to Pakistan’s $10.2 billion.
- India leads in most military strength metrics, including active personnel, aircraft fleet, naval fleet, and number of tanks.
- Both India and Pakistan are significant nuclear powers, with 180 and 170 warheads in their inventories, respectively.
The Ongoing India-Pakistan Conflict
India and Pakistan have long had simmering military tensions, with the two countries involved in several historical wars and conflicts.
The current conflict began in April, when a group of militants attacked tourists in the India-administered region of Kashmir, killing 26 people. While Pakistan has denied involvement in these attacks, two of the four militants were identified as Pakistani citizens by Indian police.
In retaliation, the Indian armed forces launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, 2025, targeting “terrorist infrastructure” with missile strikes across nine sites in Pakistan, killing 31 people.
Both countries have contesting claims about the strikes from India. The Indian Ministry of Defence claims that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted, while Pakistan’s military claimed that three sites were hit, vowing to respond.
As of May 8, Delhi claims that Pakistan “attempted to engage” over a dozen targets in India with drones and missiles, which were neutralized by its air defense systems. Meanwhile, Islamabad denies any involvement in these attacks, claiming to have shot down 25 Indian drones.
Although the conflict is escalating, leaders from several other nations have called for restraint from both countries, encouraging them to de-escalate the armed dispute.