Operation Sindoor: India's military might dwarfs Pakistan across land, sea, and air

India's response to the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack was swift, harsh, and the most expansive military operation since the Bangladesh war of 1971. The Indian security forces conducted high-precision air strikes under Operation Sindoor across nine different Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.

These were the specific locations where attacks against India were planned and directed, says the government. The security forces have said their actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature. "No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution."

These steps came in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. Amid the tension between the two nuclear-armed countries escalating, world leaders have called for restraint and dialogue, urging both India and Pakistan to avoid any moves that could lead to further escalation.

Apart from conducting surgical strikes, India has also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and closed the Attari border post. Additionally, the visas of Pakistani nationals have been revoked, and those in India were given a specific deadline to go back to Pakistan. In return, Pakistan has also suspended its commitment to the Simla Agreement, while putting a stop to trade activities with India.

Amid the critical situation, the data points to India's superiority over Pakistan in terms of military might across manpower, airpower, naval assets, and ground forces. According to the Global Firepower Index 2025, India is a dominant military power in the South Asia region, ranking 4th globally out of 145 countries. Pakistan, on the other hand, ranks 12th.

India has a significantly lower Power Index score of 0.1184 (where 0.0000 is considered ‘perfect’). It maintains a considerable lead over Pakistan which has a Power Index score of 0.2513.

In terms of manpower, India’s vast population base translates into unmatched military potential at over 662 million people available for military service. India has access to six times the available manpower of Pakistan. Its active personnel force stands at 1.45 million, more than double that of Pakistan's 654,000. Additionally, India's massive paramilitary and reserve forces give it a significant edge over Pakistan.

The Pakistani Army consists of 78,128 Air Force personnel, 1,311,500 Army personnel, and 124,800 Navy personnel, with a total strength of 1,704,000. India, on the other hand, has a total military personnel of 5,137,550 (0.4%) comprising 310,575 in the IAF, 2,197,117 in the Army, and 142,252 in the Navy.

India also dominates the skies, with a total of 2,229 aircraft, compared to Pakistan's 1,399. India outnumbers Pakistan in fighter jets, attack aircraft, helicopters, and fixed-wing transports. India fields nearly 900 helicopters, while Pakistan has around 373. Such airpower is critical not just for combat superiority but for mobility, logistics, and disaster response, giving India a decisive strategic and tactical advantage.

In the seas, India has a far more formidable Navy, fielding 293 naval assets including two aircraft carriers, 13 destroyers, and 18 submarines. Pakistan, by contrast, operates 121 vessels, with no aircraft carriers or destroyers, and a smaller submarine fleet.

The data shows the military gap between the two countries continues to widen, with India investing heavily to ramp up its defence infrastructure. The world's fifth-largest military spender at $86 billion, India's defence spend stands at around nine times more than Pakistan's.

The government in the FY2025- 26 budget allocated around Rs 6,81,210 crore ($80 billion) for defence, a 9.5% increase from the previous year, which is around 1.9% of the country's GDP. Pakistan, on the other hand, allocated $10 billion for defence, much lower than India.

India was also the world’s second-largest arms importer, with its imports reflecting perceived threats from both China and Pakistan, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data. However, its imports decreased by 9.3% between 2015-19 and 2020-24. Arms imports by Pakistan grew by 61% between 2015-19 and 2020-24, with China being its major supplier, accounting for 81% of its arms imports in 2020-24.