India launched the “Sindoor Operation”, hitting nine targets in Pakistan. Pakistan states that India missile attacks on six locations killed at least eight people and hurt over 35, promising a firm response to its neighbor. Photo source: Saqib Majeed / Zuma Press / Profimedia
India launched blows on Pakistan and Kashmir on Wednesday, a region with a majority Muslim population, divided between New Delhi and Islamabad, an attack that Pakistan qualified as a “flagrant act of war”, given that the tensions between nuclear armed rivals have increased after a fatal attack on Kashmir.
Reuters made an assessment of the defense forces and the arsenal of the two neighboring countries in South Asia, which have nuclear weapons, based on the data of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
Military staff
India has 1.4 million persons active in defense forces – 1,237,000 in the army, 75,500 in the navy, 149,900 in the air forces and 13,350 in the coast guard.
The strength of Pakistan is lower, with below 700,000 members, of which 560,000 are in the army, 70,000 in the air forces and 30,000 in the military navy.
Equipment
The arsenal of India includes 9,743 artillery pieces, compared to Pakistan, and 3,740 main combat tanks, compared to Pakistan.
Air Forces
While India has 730 fighter jets, the Pakistan fleet is much smaller, with 452 planes.
Marine
The Indian navy has 16 submarines, 11 destroyers, 16 frigates and two aircraft carriers, while the Pakistani Marina has eight submarines and 10 frigates.
Nuclear arsenal
India has 172 nuclear ogives, and Pakistan is proud of an almost equal number of 170.
