Introduction
| India | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| background | The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent and India was seen as the "Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan. The neighboring countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. India's economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1991, a massive youthful population, and a strategic geographic location have contributed to India's emergence as a regional and global power. However, India still faces pressing problems such as environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, and its restrictive business climate is dampening economic growth expectations. | The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars and a limited conflict - in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to the marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in mid-1998. India-Pakistan relations improved in the mid-2000s but have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and have been further strained by attacks in India by militants believed to be based in Pakistan. Imran KHAN took office as prime minister in 2018 after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party won a plurality of seats in the July 2018 general elections. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups that target government institutions and civilians, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks. |
Geography
| India | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan | Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north |
| Geographic coordinates | 20 00 N, 77 00 E | 30 00 N, 70 00 E |
| Map references | Asia | Asia |
| Area | total: 3,287,263 sq km land: 2,973,193 sq km water: 314,070 sq km | total: 796,095 sq km land: 770,875 sq km water: 25,220 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly more than one-third the size of the US | slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California |
| Land boundaries | total: 13,888 km border countries (6): Bangladesh 4142 km, Bhutan 659 km, Burma 1468 km, China 2659 km, Nepal 1770 km, Pakistan 3190 km | total: 7,257 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 2670 km, China 438 km, India 3190 km, Iran 959 km |
| Coastline | 7,000 km | 1,046 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
| Climate | varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north | mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north |
| Terrain | upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north | divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,586 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 160 m | highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m mean elevation: 900 m |
| Natural resources | coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), antimony, iron ore, lead, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land | arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone |
| Land use | agricultural land: 60.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 52.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 4.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 3.5% (2018 est.) forest: 23.1% (2018 est.) other: 16.4% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 35.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 27.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 6.5% (2018 est.) forest: 2.1% (2018 est.) other: 62.7% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 667,000 sq km (2012) | 202,000 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes volcanism: Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years | frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) |
| Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources; preservation and quality of forests; biodiversity loss | water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural freshwater resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution and noise pollution in urban areas |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate
Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate
Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography - note | dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal | controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent |
| Total renewable water resources | 1,910,900,000,000 cubic meters (2017 est.) | 246.8 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | with the notable exception of the deserts in the northwest, including the Thar Desert, and the mountain fringe in the north, a very high population density exists throughout most of the country; the core of the population is in the north along the banks of the Ganges, with other river valleys and southern coastal areas also having large population concentrations | the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated |
Demographics
| India | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,339,330,514 (July 2021 est.) | 238,181,034 (July 2021 est.) note: provisional results of Pakistan's 2017 national census estimate the country's total population to be 207,774,000 |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 26.31% (male 185,017,089/female 163,844,572) 15-24 years: 17.51% (male 123,423,531/female 108,739,780) 25-54 years: 41.56% (male 285,275,667/female 265,842,319) 55-64 years: 7.91% (male 52,444,817/female 52,447,038) 65 years and over: 6.72% (male 42,054,459/female 47,003,975) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 36.01% (male 42,923,925/female 41,149,694) 15-24 years: 19.3% (male 23,119,205/female 21,952,976) 25-54 years: 34.7% (male 41,589,381/female 39,442,046) 55-64 years: 5.55% (male 6,526,656/female 6,423,993) 65 years and over: 4.44% (male 4,802,165/female 5,570,595) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 28.7 years male: 28 years female: 29.5 years (2020 est.) | total: 22 years male: 21.9 years female: 22.1 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 1.04% (2021 est.) | 1.99% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 17.53 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 26.95 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 39.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 39.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 55.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 59.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 70.03 years male: 68.71 years female: 71.49 years (2021 est.) | total population: 69.37 years male: 67.34 years female: 71.5 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 2.28 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 3.53 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.2% (2017 est.) | 0.2% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian | noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani |
| Ethnic groups | Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000) | Punjabi 44.7%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.4%, Sindhi 14.1%, Saraiki 8.4%, Muhajirs 7.6%, Balochi 3.6%, other 6.3% |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 2.3 million (2020 est.) | 200,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 est.) | Muslim (official) 96.5% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.5% (2020 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 69,000 (2017 est.) | 8,200 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | Hindi
43.6%, Bengali 8%, Marathi 6.9%, Telugu 6.7%, Tamil 5.7%, Gujarati 4.6%,
Urdu 4.2%, Kannada 3.6%, Odia 3.1%, Malayalam 2.9%, Punjabi 2.7%,
Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.1%, other 5.6%; note - English enjoys the
status of subsidiary official language but is the most important
language for national, political, and commercial communication; there
are 22 other officially recognized languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo,
Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam,
Manipuri, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil,
Telugu, Urdu; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken
widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2011
est.) major-language sample(s): ????? ??????, ??????? ??????? ?? ?? ????????? ????? (Hindi) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Punjabi
48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate
name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%,
English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government
ministries), Burushaski, and other 8% major-language sample(s): ????? ?? ??? ?????, ????? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? (Punjabi) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.4% male: 82.4% female: 65.8% (2018) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.1% male: 71.1% female: 46.5% (2015) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria water contact diseases: leptospirosis animal contact diseases: rabies note: clusters of cases of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) are being reported across 27 States and Union Territories in India; as of 20 July 2021, India has reported a total of 31,174,322 cases of COVID-19 or 2,259 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 30.03 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 23.65% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine; effective 4 May 2021, the US has banned most travel from India to the US | degree of risk: high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria animal contact diseases: rabies note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Pakistan; as of 19 July 2021, Pakistan has reported a total of 991,727 cases of COVID-19 or 448.96 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population with 10.33 cumulative deaths per 100,000 population; as of 19 July 2021, 4.21% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2019) | total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 8 years (2018) |
| Education expenditures | 3.8% of GDP (2013) | 2.9% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 35.4% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 37.4% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 96% of population rural: 91% of population total: 92.7% of population unimproved: urban: 4% of population rural: 9% of population total: 7.2% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 94.2% of population rural: 89.9% of population total: 91.5% of population unimproved: urban: 5.8% of population rural: 10.1% of population total: 8.5% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 93.7% of population rural: 61.1% of population total: 72% of population unimproved: urban: 6.3% of population rural: 38.9% of population total: 28% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 82.5% of population rural: 62.9% of population total: 70.1% of population unimproved: urban: 17.5% of population rural: 37.1% of population total: 29.9% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 31.181 million NEW DELHI (capital), 20.668 million Mumbai, 14.974 million Kolkata, 12.765 million Bangalore, 11.235 million Chennai, 10.269 million Hyderabad (2021) | 16.459 million Karachi, 13.095 million Lahore, 3.542 million Faisalabad, 2.281 million Rawalpindi, 2.290 million Gujranwala, 1.164 million ISLAMABAD (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 145 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 140 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 33.4% (2016/18) | 23.1% (2017/18) |
| Health expenditures | 3.5% (2018) | 3.2% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.86 physicians/1,000 population (2018) | 0.98 physicians/1,000 population (2018) |
| Hospital bed density | 0.5 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 0.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 3.9% (2016) | 8.6% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 21 years (2015/16) note: median age a first birth among women 25-49 | 22.8 years (2017/18 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-49 |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 53.5% (2015/16) | 34% (2018/19) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 48.7 youth dependency ratio: 38.9 elderly dependency ratio: 9.8 potential support ratio: 10.2 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 64.4 youth dependency ratio: 57.2 elderly dependency ratio: 7.1 potential support ratio: 14 (2020 est.) |
Government
| India | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya local short form: India/Bharat etymology: the English name derives from the Indus River; the Indian name "Bharat" may derive from the "Bharatas" tribe mentioned in the Vedas of the second millennium B.C.; the name is also associated with Emperor Bharata, the legendary conqueror of all of India | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan etymology: the word "pak" means "pure" in Persian or Pashto, while the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Pakistan literally means "Land of the Pure" |
| Government type | federal parliamentary republic | federal parliamentary republic |
| Capital | name: New Delhi geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the city's name is associated with various myths and legends; the original name for the city may have been Dhilli or Dhillika; alternatively, the name could be a corruption of the Hindustani words "dehleez" or "dehali" - both terms meaning "threshold" or "gateway" - and indicative of the city as a gateway to the Gangetic Plain; after the British decided to move the capital of their Indian Empire from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911, they created a new governmental district south of the latter designated as New Delhi; the new capital was not formally inaugurated until 1931 | name: Islamabad geographic coordinates: 33 41 N, 73 03 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: derived from two words: "Islam," an Urdu word referring to the religion of Islam, and "-abad," a Persian suffix indicating an "inhabited place" or "city," to render the meaning "City of Islam" |
| Administrative divisions | 28
states and 8 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra
Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh,
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat,
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir*, Jharkhand, Karnataka,
Kerala, Ladakh*, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan,
Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West
Bengal note: although its status is that of a union territory, the official name of Delhi is National Capital Territory of Delhi | 4 provinces, 2 Pakistan-administered areas*, and 1 capital territory**; Azad Kashmir*, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh |
| Independence | 15 August 1947 (from the UK) | 14 August 1947 (from British India) |
| National holiday | Republic Day, 26 January (1950) | Pakistan Day (also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day or Republic Day), 23 March (1940); note - commemorates both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the All-India Muslim League during its 22-24 March 1940 session, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan |
| Constitution | history: previous 1935 (preindependence); latest draft completed 4 November 1949, adopted 26 November 1949, effective 26 January 1950 amendments: proposed by either the Council of States or the House of the People; passage requires majority participation of the total membership in each house and at least two-thirds majority of voting members of each house, followed by assent of the president of India; proposed amendments to the constitutional amendment procedures also must be ratified by at least one half of the India state legislatures before presidential assent; amended many times, last in 2020 | history: several
previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered
into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times) amendments: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses; amended many times, last in 2018 |
| Legal system | common law system based on the English model; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus; judicial review of legislative acts; note - in late 2019 the Government of India began discussions to overhaul its penal code, which dates to the British colonial period | common law system with Islamic law influence |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal; note - there are joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Ram Nath KOVIND (since 25 July 2017); Vice President M. Venkaiah NAIDU (since 11 August 2017) head of government: Prime Minister Narendra MODI (since 26 May 2014) cabinet: Union Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the president elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 17 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022); vice president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 5 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022); following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by Lok Sabha members of the majority party election results: Ram Nath KOVIND elected president; percent of electoral college vote - Ram Nath KOVIND (BJP) 65.7% Meira KUMAR (INC) 34.3%; M. Venkaiah NAIDU elected vice president; electoral college vote - M. Venkaiah NAIDU (BJP) 516, Gopalkrishna GANDHI (independent) 244 | chief of state: President Arif ALVI (since 9 September 2018) head of government: Prime Minister Imran KHAN (since 18 August 2018) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Electoral College consisting of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); election last held on 4 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on 17 August 2018 election results: Arif ALVI elected president; Electoral College vote - Arif ALVI (PTI) 352, Fazl-ur-REHMAN (MMA) 184, Aitzaz AHSAN (PPP) 124; Imran KHAN elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - Imran KHAN (PTI) 176, Shehbaz SHARIF (PML-N) 96 |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of: Council of States or Rajya Sabha (245 seats; 233 members indirectly elected by state and territorial assemblies by proportional representation vote and 12 members appointed by the president; members serve 6-year terms) House of the People or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 2 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Council of States - last held by state and territorial assemblies at various dates in 2019 (next originally scheduled for March, June, and November 2020 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rescheduled throughout 2021 to fill expiry seats) House of the People - last held April-May 2019 in 7 phases (next to be held in 2024) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BJP 83, INC 46, AITC 13, DMK 11, SP, other 77, independent 6; composition - men 220, women 25, percent of women 10.2% House of the People - percent of vote by party - BJP 55.8%, INC 9.6%, AITC 4.4%, YSRC 4.4%, DMK 4.2%, SS 3.3%, JDU 2.9%, BJD 2.2%, BSP 1.8%, TRS 1.7%, LJP 1.1%, NCP 0.9%, SP 0.9%, other 6.4%, independent 0.7%; seats by party - BJP 303, INC 52, DMK 24, AITC 22, YSRC 22, SS 18, JDU 16, BJD 12, BSP 10, TRS 9, LJP 6, NCP 5, SP 5, other 35, independent 4, vacant 2; composition - men 465, women 78, percent of women 14.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 11.3% | description: bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of: Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by the 4 provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - bye-election held on 3 March 2021 (next to be held in March 2024) National Assembly - last held on 25 July 2018 (next to be held on 25 July 2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PTI 25, PPP 21, PML-N 18, BAP 13, JU-F 5, other 13, independent 5; composition - men 80, women 20, percent of women 20% National Assembly - percent of votes by party NA; seats by party as of December 2019 - PTI 156, PML-N 84, PPP 55, MMA 16, MQM-P 7, BAP 5, PML-Q 5, BNP 4, GDA 3, AML 1, ANP 1, JWP 1, independent 4; composition - men 273, women 69, percent of women 20.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.1% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 28 judges, including the chief justice) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president to serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Courts; District Courts; Labour Court note: in mid-2011, India’s Cabinet approved the "National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reform" to eliminate judicial corruption and reduce the backlog of cases | highest courts: Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges) judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by an 8-member parliamentary committee upon the recommendation of the Judicial Commission, a 9-member body of judges and other judicial professionals, and appointed by the president; justices can serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues, such as taxation, banking, and customs |
| Political parties and leaders | Aam Aadmi Party or AAP [Arvind KEJRIWAL] All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [Edappadi PALANISWAMY, Occhaathevar PANNEERSELVAM] All India Trinamool Congress or AITC [Mamata BANERJEE] Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI] Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Amit SHAH] Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK] Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI(M) [Sitaram YECHURY] Indian National Congress or INC Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) [Ram Vilas PASWAN] Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR] Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Lalu Prasad YADAV] Samajwadi Party or SP [Akhilesh YADAV] Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Sukhbir Singh BADAL] Shiv Sena or SS [Uddhav THACKERAY] Telegana Rashtra Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrashekar RAO] Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU] YSR Congress or YSRC [Jagan Mohan REDDY] note: India has dozens of national and regional political parties | Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN] Awami Muslim League or AML [Sheikh Rashid AHMED] Balochistan Awami Party or BAP [Jam Kamal KHAN] Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Mir Israr Ullah ZEHRI] Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Akhtar Jan MENGAL] Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties) Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP [Shahzain BUGTI] Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Sirajul HAQ] Jamiat-i Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN] Muttahida Quami Movement-London or MQM-L [Altaf HUSSAIN] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P [Dr. Khalid Maqbool SIDDIQUI] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA [Fazl-ur- REHMAN] (alliance of several parties) National Party or NP [Mir Hasil Khan BIZENJO] Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI] Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO or Syed Shah Mardan SHAH-II] Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Shehbaz SHARIF] Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid-e-Azam Group or PML-Q [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN] Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP [Bilawal BHUTTO ZARDARI, Asif Ali ZARDARI] Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) [Imran KHAN]Pak Sarzameen Party or PSP [Mustafa KAMAL] Quami Watan Party or QWP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO] note: political alliances in Pakistan shift frequently |
| International organization participation | ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, CERN (observer), CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ADB, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), C, CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-11, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Taranjit Singh SANDHU (since 6 February 2020) chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco | chief of mission: Ambassador Asad Majeed KHAN (since 11 January 2019) chancery: 3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Louisville (KY), San Francisco |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Atul KESHAP (since 1 July 2021) embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110021 mailing address: 9000 New Delhi Place, Washington DC 20521-9000 telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000 FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay) | chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Angela AGGELER embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: 8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100 telephone: [92] 051-201-4000 FAX: [92] 51-2338071 consulate(s) general: Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar |
| Flag description | three
equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and
green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band;
saffron represents courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation;
white signifies purity and truth; green stands for faith and fertility;
the blue chakra symbolizes the wheel of life in movement and death in
stagnation note: similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band | green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam |
| National anthem | name: "Jana-Gana-Mana" (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People) lyrics/music: Rabindranath TAGORE note: adopted 1950; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote Bangladesh's national anthem | name: "Qaumi Tarana" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA note: adopted 1954; also known as "Pak sarzamin shad bad" (Blessed Be the Sacred Land) |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which depicts four Asiatic lions standing back to back mounted on a circular abacus, is the official emblem; Bengal tiger; lotus flower; national colors: saffron, white, green | five-pointed star between the horns of a waxing crescent moon, jasmine; national colors: green, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of India dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan dual citizenship recognized: yes, but limited to select countries residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application |
Energy
| India | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 1.386 trillion kWh (2016 est.) | 109.7 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 1.137 trillion kWh (2016 est.) | 92.33 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 5.15 billion kWh (2015 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 5.617 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 490 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 709,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 90,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 4.057 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | 168,200 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 13,150 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 4.495 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 332.2 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 1.29 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 588.8 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 31.54 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 39.05 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 55.43 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 45.05 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 76.45 million cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 23.96 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 6.003 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 367.8 million kW (2016 est.) | 26.9 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 71% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 62% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 12% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 4.897 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | 291,200 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 4.521 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | 557,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 1.305 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | 25,510 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 653,300 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 264,500 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 99% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 99% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 99% (2019) | electrification - total population: 79% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 91% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 72% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| India | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 21,004,534 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.6 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 2,461,916 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.08 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 1,151,480,361 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87.82 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 165,405,847 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 72.33 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .in | .pk |
| Internet users | total: 446,759,327 percent of population: 34.45% (July 2018 est.) | total: 34,734,689 percent of population: 15.51% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: supported
by deregulation, India is one of the fastest-growing telecom markets in
the world; implementation of 4G/LTE; fixed-line/broadband
underdeveloped; government investment in national infrastructure;
project aims to connect 250,000 villages to broadband networks;
expansive foreign investment with reliance of operators on Chinese
vendors; imports of integrated circuits and broadcast equipment from
China; steps taken towards a 5G auction and tests; submarine cable
linking mainland to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; smart cities
mission to promote 100 model cities in providing core infrastructure,
sustainable environment, and quality of life through economic growth and
competition, including focus on social, economic, and institutional
pillars (2021) (2020) domestic: fixed-line subscriptions stands at 2 per 100 and mobile-cellular at 84 per 100; mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles, each with multiple private service providers and one or more state-owned service providers; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 (very small aperture terminals) VSAT (2019) international: country code - 91; a number of major international submarine cable systems, including SEA-ME-WE-3 & 4, AAE-1, BBG, EIG, FALCON, FEA, GBICS, MENA, IMEWE, SEACOM/ Tata TGN-Eurasia, SAFE, WARF, Bharat Lanka Cable System, IOX, Chennai-Andaman & Nicobar Island Cable, SAEx2, Tata TGN-Tata Indicom and i2icn that provide connectivity to Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South East Asia, numerous Indian Ocean islands including Australia ; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: Pakistan’s telecom market recently transitioned from a regulated state-owned monopoly to a deregulated competitive structure, now aided by foreign investment; moderate growth over the last six years, supported by a young population and a rising use of mobile services; telecom infrastructure is improving, with investments in mobile-cellular networks, fixed-line subscriptions declining; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks; 4G mobile services broadly available; 5G tests ongoing; data centers in major cities; mobile and broadband doing well and dominate over fixed-broadband sector; China-Pakistan Fiber Optic Project became operational in 2020; partner to Chinese Economic Corridor project; importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2021) (2020)domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed; more than 90% of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage; fiber-optic networks are being constructed throughout the country to increase broadband access, though broadband penetration in Pakistan is still relatively low; fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 76 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 92; landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-3, -4, -5, AAE-1, IMEWE, Orient Express, PEACE Cable, and TW1 submarine cable systems that provide links to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 19,156,559 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.46 (2019 est.) | total: 1,760,870 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2018 est.) |
| Broadcast media | Doordarshan, India's public TV network, has a monopoly on terrestrial broadcasting and operates about 20 national, regional, and local services; a large and increasing number of privately owned TV stations are distributed by cable and satellite service providers; in 2015, more than 230 million homes had access to cable and satellite TV offering more than 700 TV channels; government controls AM radio with All India Radio operating domestic and external networks; news broadcasts via radio are limited to the All India Radio Network; since 2000, privately owned FM stations have been permitted and their numbers have increased rapidly | media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 8 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted; to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational; the state-owned radio network operates more than 30 stations; nearly 200 commercially licensed, privately owned radio stations provide programming mostly limited to music and talk shows (2019) |
Military power of India & Pakistan
Country: India (IN) Pakistan (PK) Capital: New Delhi Islamabad Population: 1,352,642,280 225,199,937 Area: 3,287,590 km2 796,095 km2 More: India military forces description Pakistan military forces description Economy Comparison:
India - Pakistan
| Country: | India (IN) | Pakistan (PK) |
|---|---|---|
| Capital: | New Delhi | Islamabad |
| Population: | 1,352,642,280 | 225,199,937 |
| Area: | 3,287,590 km2 | 796,095 km2 |
| More: | India military forces description | Pakistan military forces description |
| Economy Comparison: | India - Pakistan | |
Military expenditures
IN
PKMilitary budget: 67 billion $ 10.3 billion $ Percent of GDP: 2.4% 4%
| IN | PK | |
|---|---|---|
| Military budget: | 67 billion $ | 10.3 billion $ |
| Percent of GDP: | 2.4% | 4% |
Military budget
(USA)
(USA)
Manpower
IN PK Active personnel: 1,455,550 653,000 Reserve personnel: 1,155,000 513,000 Available for military: 319,129,420 48,453,305
| IN | PK | |
|---|---|---|
| Active personnel: | 1,455,550 | 653,000 |
| Reserve personnel: | 1,155,000 | 513,000 |
| Available for military: | 319,129,420 | 48,453,305 |
Active
(China)
(China)
Land Forces
IN PK Tanks: 4,614 2,735 Armoured fighting vehicles: 8,600 3,066 Total artillery: 2,799 3,745 Self-propelled artillery: 100 325 Rocket artillery: 960 134
| IN | PK | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanks: | 4,614 | 2,735 | |
| Armoured fighting vehicles: | 8,600 | 3,066 | |
| Total artillery: | 2,799 | 3,745 | |
| Self-propelled artillery: | 100 | 325 | |
| Rocket artillery: | 960 | 134 |
Tanks
(Russia)
(Russia)
Air Forces
IN PK Total aircraft: 2,263 1,241 Fighter aircraft: 173 186 Multirole aircraf: 405 225 Attack aircraft: 120 90 Helicopters: 729 323 UCAV (combat drone): 12 98
| IN | PK | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total aircraft: | 2,263 | 1,241 | |
| Fighter aircraft: | 173 | 186 | |
| Multirole aircraf: | 405 | 225 | |
| Attack aircraft: | 120 | 90 | |
| Helicopters: | 729 | 323 | |
| UCAV (combat drone): | 12 | 98 |
Total aircraft
(USA)
(USA)
Navy
IN PK Total naval: 267 231 Aircraftcarriers: 1 0 Destroyers: 11 0 Frigates: 13 9 Corvettes: 23 0 Submarines: 16 5
| IN | PK | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total naval: | 267 | 231 | |
| Aircraftcarriers: | 1 | 0 | |
| Destroyers: | 11 | 0 | |
| Frigates: | 13 | 9 | |
| Corvettes: | 23 | 0 | |
| Submarines: | 16 | 5 |
Total naval
(China)
(China)
Nuclear weapons
India
India is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. India maintains a "no first use" nuclear policy
India
has not released any official statements about the size of its nuclear
arsenal. As of January 2020, India was estimated to have around 150
warheads.
India is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. India maintains a "no first use" nuclear policy
India has not released any official statements about the size of its nuclear arsenal. As of January 2020, India was estimated to have around 150 warheads.
Pakistan
Pakistan is one of several nations that are not the part of
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Yet, the Pakistani government managed
to acquire nuclear warheads, or at least it is believed so. The entire
pursuit for nuclear power began at the beginning of 1970s. It was back
then, when Western Powers heard about Pakistan efforts of developing
nuclear weapons. At the beginning the government established first
nuclear power plant. It was located near Karachi. Noteworthy is the fact
that it was possible due to the help of Western nations, which provided
Pakistan with necessary equipment and materials. Later on, the
president of Pakistan said that the main goal of Pakistan is to
construct nuclear weapons. It was a response to India’s claim that they
are capable of building nuclear weapons.
Although throughout the
1970s and at the beginning of 1980s there were little facts regarding
Pakistan’ nuclear capabilities, there were rumours that from the
mid-1980s, Pakistan already had a few warheads. However, it was only in
1998 that Pakistan decided to conduct their first nuclear tests. There
were 6 tests and they were the response to 5 tests that India conducted
several weeks before Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of several nations that are not the part of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Yet, the Pakistani government managed to acquire nuclear warheads, or at least it is believed so. The entire pursuit for nuclear power began at the beginning of 1970s. It was back then, when Western Powers heard about Pakistan efforts of developing nuclear weapons. At the beginning the government established first nuclear power plant. It was located near Karachi. Noteworthy is the fact that it was possible due to the help of Western nations, which provided Pakistan with necessary equipment and materials. Later on, the president of Pakistan said that the main goal of Pakistan is to construct nuclear weapons. It was a response to India’s claim that they are capable of building nuclear weapons.
Although throughout the 1970s and at the beginning of 1980s there were little facts regarding Pakistan’ nuclear capabilities, there were rumours that from the mid-1980s, Pakistan already had a few warheads. However, it was only in 1998 that Pakistan decided to conduct their first nuclear tests. There were 6 tests and they were the response to 5 tests that India conducted several weeks before Pakistan.
Military service
India
16-18 years of age for voluntary military service (Army 17
1/2, Air Force 17, Navy 16 1/2); no conscription; women may join as
officers, but for noncombat roles only.
16-18 years of age for voluntary military service (Army 17 1/2, Air Force 17, Navy 16 1/2); no conscription; women may join as officers, but for noncombat roles only.
Pakistan
16-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; the Pakistani Air Force and
Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors; the
Pakistan Air Force recruits aviation technicians at age 15; service
obligation (Navy) 10-18 years; retirement required after 18-30 years
service or age 40-52.
16-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors; the Pakistan Air Force recruits aviation technicians at age 15; service obligation (Navy) 10-18 years; retirement required after 18-30 years service or age 40-52.