A comparative view of India and Pakistan’s defence capabilities: Historical evolution and future trends

Abstract

War has been here since time immemorial and has been influenced and modified by various civilizations; as necessitated by internal and external conflicts and challenges. Every country views war under the lens of factors such as its geography, threats from neighbouring countries, internal circumstances and economic standing. This article discusses and highlights the quest for modern conventional warfare advancement generally, and particularly in the context of two South Asian nuclear armed nations – India and Pakistan, two arch-rivals. Both nations have been trying since their independence to gain an edge over the other in terms of defence, and so have invested more than they should in the defence sector for various reasons. The article presents the relevance of conventional warfare in the Indo–Pak context and sheds light on the strategic context of South Asia which hosts two nuclear-armed rivals. It discusses the historical and near-contemporary use of conventional warfare by both nations in the pursuit of their political objectives. It draws attention to the growing Indian military modernization in its conventional arsenal, especially by the induction of the Russian-built T-90S tank and S-400 missile system, French-built Rafale fighter jet and aircraft carrier. It also discusses low-observable instruments such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The article focuses on the tactical, operational, as well as strategic implications of such advanced hardware on the Armed Forces of Pakistan. The world cannot afford a nuclear war and that too between heavily populated immediate rivals. Owing to this, both are investing more and more in modern conventional warfare by developing and advancing their defence systems, weapons, strategies and other related warfare – which the world must not ignore. This article enunciates how India getting its hands on the Russian T-90S, S-400 Missile System, Rafale Aircraft and INS Vikramadtiya has pushed Pakistan into a state of immense concern over its security and its quest for meeting this looming threat. This article also discusses the historical travelogue of advancements and investment made in the purchasing of the modern conventional warfare equipment both by India and Pakistan.