New Delhi: India’s military expenditure in 2024 was nearly nine times higher than Pakistan’s, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report released on April 28, 2025. This significant disparity occurs against the backdrop of record global military spending and heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack.
The gap highlights the contrasting economic capabilities and strategic priorities of both nations while reflecting broader trends in international defence investments during a period of increasing global insecurity.
India maintained its position as the fifth-largest military spender globally with expenditure reaching $86.1 billion in 2024, a modest increase of 1.6 percent from the previous year. In stark contrast, Pakistan’s military spending stood at just $10.2 billion during the same period, creating a nine-fold difference between the two historical adversaries. This disparity reflects India’s significantly larger economy and its broader strategic ambitions that extend beyond Pakistan to include concerns about China’s growing military presence in the region. The substantial gap in military capabilities continues to shape the security dynamics of South Asia, particularly as both nations maintain nuclear arsenals.
Pakistan’s defence allocation as a percentage of GDP has followed a downward trajectory in recent years, declining from 2.6 percent in 2020 to 1.7 percent in 2024 despite ongoing security concerns. For the fiscal year 2024-25, Pakistan allocated ₹2,122 billion for defence, which represented a ₹318 billion increase from the previous year’s budget but maintained the same proportional spending relative to GDP. This trend reflects the economic challenges facing Pakistan, which has had to balance security priorities against severe fiscal constraints.
It is worth noting that official figures may not present the complete picture of Pakistan’s defence spending. Several military-related expenses are reportedly budgeted under civilian expenditures rather than the defence allocation. For instance, approximately ₹662 billion allocated for retired military personnel-equivalent to about 31 percent of the armed forces’ budget-is drawn from the government’s current expenditure rather than defence allocations. This accounting approach potentially understates Pakistan’s actual military spending, though the gap with India remains substantial.
The India-Pakistan spending disparity exists within an unprecedented global surge in military expenditure.
The five largest military spenders-the United States, China, Russia, Germany, and India-collectively accounted for 60 percent of global military expenditure, with combined spending of $1,635 billion. The United States maintained its position as the world’s largest military spender at $997 billion, directing substantial resources toward nuclear arsenal modernisation and reinforcing deterrence capabilities against Russia and China.
China’s military expenditure increased by 7.0 percent to an estimated $314 billion, marking three decades of consecutive growth and accounting for 50 percent of all military spending in Asia and Oceania. China continues to invest heavily in modernising its military and expanding its cyberwarfare capabilities and nuclear arsenal, developments that significantly influence India’s defence planning.
