Let us breakdown the comparative advantages of India and Pakistan for a better understanding of conventional warfare capabilities.
Army
Artillery: Pakis have more self propelled howitzers as of now... both tracked & mounted.
- Pakis have more 155mm self propelled artillery (tracked/motorized) for the next 3-4 years but after that the advantage will be overwhelmingly in favor of India.
- 105mm artillery is not being counted since it is Battalion HQ level artillery support and we are considerig Division HQ artillery instead.
The following is as of 2024.
- Towed Artillery
:
- M198 (148) 155mm : Range of ~22 Km
- M114 (144) 155mm : Range of ~ 14.6 Km
- Type 59-1 (410) 130mm : Range of 27.5-35 Km
- Type 86 (80) 122mm : Range of ~15 Km
- Type 54-1 (490) 122mm : Range of ~11.8 Km
Total : 155mm (292) + 130mm (410) + 122mm (570) = 992
- Towed Artillery
:
- M777 (145) 155mm : Range of ~30-40 Km
- Haubits Bofors FH77 B02 (200) 155mm : Range of ~24 Km
- Dhanush (24+) 155mm : Range of ~42 Km
- Soltam M-46 (180) 155mm : Range of ~39 Km
- Sharang M-46 (26+) : Range of ~39 Km
- M-46 (1000) 130mm : Range of ~27.5-35 Km
Total : 155mm (575) + 130mm (1000) = 1575
Comments : In terms of 155mm towed artillery India is leading here marginally. In terms of 130mm towed artillery the advantage is decisive. Advantage
- Self-propelled Artillery
:
- M109A2/L/A5 (438) 155mm : Range of ~18.1-23.5 km
- PL-15 (164) 155mm : Range of ~23.5-50 km
Total : 155mm (438) + 155mm (164) = 602
- Self-propelled Artillery
:
- K9 Vajra-T (100) 155mm : Range of 38 Km
Total : 155mm (100)
Comments : In terms of 155mm self propelled artillery Pakistan has a decisive advantage. Advantage
- Rocket Artillery
:
- A-100E (450+) 300mm : Range of ~120 Km
- PHL-81 "Azar" (52+) 122mm : Range of ~40 Km
- Gazab/BM-21 Grad (100 ?) : Range of ~40 Km
Fatah 1/2 numbers have not been disclosed since their induction in 2024 and are possibly used for tactical strikes like the Iskander and Kinzhal as used by the Russians in Ukraine or the HIMARS by the Ukrainians.
Total : 300mm (450) + 122mm (152) = 602
- Rocket Artillery
:
- Pinaka MRBL (108+) 214mm : Range of 37.5 km to 75 km/ 90 Km
- BM-21 Grad (150) 122mm : Range of ~40 Km
- Smerch 9K58 MBRL (42) 300mm : Range of 90 Km
Pralay (370+) and BrahMos (360+) missiles are to be used by the Indian Army in the same way as the HIMARS and Iskandar as a tactical weapon.
Total : 300mm (42) + 214mm (108) + 122mm (150) = 300
Comments : In terms of 300mm rocket artillery Pakistan has a decisive advantage. In terms of 214mm rocket artillery India has a major advantage due to guided munitions in the HIMARS class. In terms of 122mm rocket artillery India and Pakistan are matched. Inconclusive.
- In the next 3-4 years deliveries of 307 155mm ATAGS (100+ guns/year production)
- In the next 2 years deliveries of the 100 K9 SPG will be completed and another 100 will be ordered which will likely be delivered before 2030
- By 2027-28 orders for the 114 Dhanush and 300 Sharang will have been completed. Sharang may see additional orders.
- 400+ TGS likely by 2030.
- MGS production to start before 2030.
- 6 additional Pinaka regiments by 2028 with another 12 well underway by early 2030s.
Conclusion : India has the obvious edge in terms of conventional artillery both quantitively and qualitatively in comparison to Pakistan. By 2030 this will become an overwhelming advantage in favor for India.
Infantry: for that refer to the infantry modernisation thread... the less said the better & am not claiming that pakis are better in this regard.
You can refer to the following post of mine for a quick comparison between the infantry of the two armies.
The Indian Army quite possibly used the Pakistan Army as their baseline for equipping the average 'Jawan'. Just compare how similar the two armies look barring camo.
Indian Army
- Sig 716i (Battle Rifle) - 7.62x51mm
- AK 203 (Assault Rifle) - 7.62x39mm
- Negev 7 (LMG/GPMG) - 7.62x51mm
View attachment 27242
Pakistan Army
- G3A3/M (Battle Rifle) - 7.62x51mm
- Type 56-1/2 (Assault Rifle) or VSK-100-2 (Assault Rifle) - 7.62x39mm
- MG3 (GPMG) - 7.62x51mm
View attachment 27245
Armour: I don't see any significant advantage... & Ukraine has blown away all delusions.
The following is as of 2024.
- 2nd Generation Tanks/T-55 Class

- Type 85 (268)
- HIT Al Zarrar (500)
- 3rd Generation Tank/ T-72/T-80 Class

- T-80UD (320)
- HIT Al Khalid (300)
- HIT Al Khalid I (110+)
- 3rd+ Generation Tank/ T-90/Leopard II Class

- VT-4/ Haider (119)
Total : 2nd (768) + 3rd (730) + 3rd+ (119) = 1617
- 3rd Generation Tank/ T-72/T-80 Class

- T-72 Ajeya Mk2 (1400)
- T72M1 (1018 ?)
- 3rd+ Generation Tank/ T-90/Leopard II Class

- Arjun MK1 (118)
- Arjun MK1A (2)
- T 90 (~1350)
Total : 3rd (2418) + 3rd+ (1470) = 3888
Conclusion : India has an overwhelming advantage and thus armor and mechanized units form the core part of our 'Cold Start' strategy and has spurred the development of Pakistani tactical short range (300-500 Km) nuclear weapons platforms. Post the operationalization of the DATRAN 1500 engines for the Arjun MK1A and the delivery of the remaining T-90 Bhishma MK3, this advantage will grow even further.
In terms of FPVs and loitering munitions, thanks to the private sector, the Indian Army has a massive advantage to the point where even China had to put cope cages on all tanks in the Tibet sector.
2. IAF
Fighters: 23.5 squadrons(not counting mig21 & Jaguars)... the .5 is a mirage squadron that is under strength.
AEWCS: The PAF has 9 AEWCS aircraft enough to mount a 24x7 airborne surveillance of their airspace on rotation... against 6 of ours which are not enough for even a single front.
Airborne SOJ/EW: non existent
Lastly... there are extreme deficiencies in short & very short range air defence capabilities... both qualitative and quantitative.
I will just put it at this, the IAF of 2025 is vastly better equipped (Rafale, S400, MRSAM, QRSAM, Astra MK 1/2, SDR, Akashteer, SDM, ALCMs) than the IAF of 2019.
Advanced ground based radar (Voronezh radar) installations, additional Netra Mk 1 and upcoming Netra MK2. More proliferation of EW systems and upgrades to Su 30 MKI (Virupaksha GaN radars) and 12+ more on order (deliveries starting 2027) and Tejas MK1A (83+97) deliveries starting this month (April 2025) are all great things to look forward to.
LCH is now on (156) so no more piecemeal purchases of gold plated Apaches.
Given how bullish HAL appears about the Dhruv, I guess it will be allowed to fly again. Not sure if the 'fix' is finally in.
PAF has around 18 F 16 BLK 52 and 20-30 J 10CE that are it's mainstay. Everything else is open season.