Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated after a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region. After the Pahalgam attack, India took steps such as suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing border crossings and cancelling visas for Pakistani citizens.
In response, Pakistan also took steps such as closing its airspace to India and expelling diplomatic missions. However, despite these measures, the threat of war between the two countries seems to be increasing day by day. Pakistan and India have fought three wars in the past. The last, in 1971, resulted in the loss of a part of Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. The fourth, limited war was fought in Kargil in 1999, which raised the possibility of a nuclear war between the two neighbors for the first time. According to Global Firepower, a website that tracks weapons and military power in the world, India will be the world’s most powerful military power after the United States, Russia and China in 2025.

In comparison, Pakistan is ranked 12th out of 145 countries on the list, according to Global Firepower. The institute says the list is compiled based on 55 different factors, including geography, economics, local industry, natural resources, performance and the country’s relations with first, second and third world countries. According to a report by the Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India spent nine times more on defense than Pakistan in 2024. According to the report, in 2025, India plans to spend an amount equivalent to about $86 billion on its defense, while Pakistan has allocated more than $10 billion for the armed forces for the fiscal year 2024-25. According to Global Firepower, India has about 2.2 million ground troops, 310,000 air force members, and 142,000 naval personnel.

Air Force
The Indian Air Force, considered the fourth largest air force in the world, has 31 squadrons of aircraft. Each squadron has 17 or 18 fighter aircraft, while its rival Pakistan Air Force has 11 squadrons. According to global firepower statistics, India has 2,229 aircraft while Pakistan has 1,399 aircraft. Of these, if we talk about combat aircraft, India has 643 combat aircraft (513 fighters and 130 bombers) compared to Pakistan’s 418 aircraft (328 fighters and 90 bombers). The most effective weapons of the Pakistani Air Force are two aircraft, the F-16 acquired from the United States and the JF-17 Thunder, developed with Chinese assistance. The aim of developing the JF-17 was to create an aircraft that was light, capable of operating as a fighter in all weather conditions, day and night. The aircraft was built in collaboration with the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry.
The biggest addition to the Indian Air Force in recent times is the induction of French Rafale aircraft into the Indian Air Force. The nuclear-capable Rafale aircraft can fire missiles up to 150 km in the air, while its air-to-ground attack capability is up to 300 km. It is the modern version of the Mirage 2000 used by the Indian Air Force, and the Indian Air Force currently has 51 Mirage 2000 aircraft.
Apart from fighter jets, Pakistan has 64 transport aircraft, 565 trainers, 4 tanker fleets and 430 helicopters, including 57 attack helicopters. In comparison, the Indian Air Force has 270 transport aircraft, 351 trainers, 6 tanker fleets and 979 helicopters, including 80 attack helicopters. India has 311 operational airfields while Pakistan has 116.
Talking about tanks, according to World Firepower statistics, Pakistan has a total of 2,672 tanks and India has one and a half times more tanks, 4,201 tanks. Al-Khalid is the latest tank of the Pakistani army, which is being built in Pakistan with the help of China and Ukraine. It is a relatively light tank compared to the German-made Leopard 2 and American-made M1 Abrams tanks, weighing 60 tons. It was initially developed locally with a liquid-cooled diesel engine used in the Ukrainian ‘Six TD2’ Tecnis, which has 1200 horsepower and a top speed of 70 km/h.
In comparison, India has the Arjun Mk 1A and Mk 2 tanks. The Mk 2 is an upgraded version of the Arjun Mk 1. This tank has a 1400 horsepower engine and can travel at a speed of 70 km/h. The Arjun tank has a state-of-the-art ammunition system that can help target enemy tanks, as well as a 120 mm caliber rifle gun.