India gained independence in August 1947 after the fall of British Raj. Along with this, Pakistan was born when the British rulers divided the country into two parts. India gained independence on August 15, while Pakistan on August 14, a day earlier … Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir recently compared the two countries, describing India as a bright Mercedes and Pakistan a garbage trump. In such a situation, when both countries are celebrating the 78th anniversary of their independence, it will be interesting to see how far the two countries have reached on economic, social, military and other standards…
Story of economy
Prior to the arrival of the British, India was one of the richest countries in the world. According to historian Angus Madison, in 1700, India stakes 24.4 percent in the World GDP. But the British Raj looted and squeezed India’s wealth. According to Oxfam’s 2025 report, Britain withdrew about 64.82 trillions from India between 1765 and 1900. According to Madison, when he left, India’s share in the world gross domestic product declined to only 4.2 percent in 1950. When the British went away, India and Pakistan inherited almost similar economies – neglected and low -investment. Statistics suggest that the two countries were among the poorest countries in the world. However, development began soon after independence and there were major improvements in education, health and other sectors. Interestingly, Pakistan’s growth rate was faster than India for the first four decades. From 1961 to 1980, Pakistan’s growth rate was around six percent, while India rate was four percent.
But the situation changed in the 1990s. India abolished the ‘License-Permit-Kota’ system, which snatched power from the bureaucracy’s hands and began a rapid pace of development. The GDP started growing at the rate of seven to eight percent annually. Pakistan started to falter. Today India is becoming a global economic power. In June, India became the fourth largest economy in the world and is expected to move to third place by 2028. The World Bank says that India’s GDP is around $ 3.88 trillion, which is ten times more than Pakistan’s $ 0.37 trillion economy.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s economy is struggling with debt and crisis. He has to repeatedly seek help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In 2024, it received a loan of $ 7 billion, which was his 24th package. Today India is ahead of Pakistan on almost every economic scale. According to the purchasing power (PPP), Pakistan’s per capita income in 2023 was $ 5,439, while India was almost doubled. India is far ahead in the business. India’s total trade in 2023 was 17 times more than Pakistan. There is also a huge difference in foreign exchange reserves of India and Pakistan. India’s reserves are more than $ 688 billion, while Pakistan has about $ 15 billion.
Demonstration of military power
Since independence, both countries have been constantly strengthening their forces. There have been four wars between the two and many border clashes have also taken place. Recently, in May 2025, after the death of 26 people in the Pahalgam terrorist attack, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’. In the Global Firepower’s 2025 military power rankings, India is the fourth most powerful army in the world, while Pakistan ranks 12th. According to SIPRI, India is the fifth largest defense spending country in the world. In 2024, India spent $ 86 billion on the army, which is 2.3 percent of GDP. Pakistan spent $ 10.2 billion in the same year, which was 2.7 percent of its GDP. India is ahead of Pakistan in terms of number. India has 14.6 lakh active soldiers, 11.5 lakh reserve soldiers and 25 lakh paramilitary forces. Pakistan has 6.54 lakh active soldiers and about 5 lakh paramilitary forces.
India gained independence in August 1947 after the fall of British Raj. Along with this, Pakistan was born when the British rulers divided the country into two parts. India gained independence on August 15, while Pakistan on August 14, a day earlier … Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir recently compared the two countries, describing India as a bright Mercedes and Pakistan a garbage trump. In such a situation, when both countries are celebrating the 78th anniversary of their independence, it will be interesting to see how far the two countries have reached on economic, social, military and other standards…
Story of economy
Prior to the arrival of the British, India was one of the richest countries in the world. According to historian Angus Madison, in 1700, India stakes 24.4 percent in the World GDP. But the British Raj looted and squeezed India’s wealth. According to Oxfam’s 2025 report, Britain withdrew about 64.82 trillions from India between 1765 and 1900. According to Madison, when he left, India’s share in the world gross domestic product declined to only 4.2 percent in 1950. When the British went away, India and Pakistan inherited almost similar economies – neglected and low -investment. Statistics suggest that the two countries were among the poorest countries in the world. However, development began soon after independence and there were major improvements in education, health and other sectors. Interestingly, Pakistan’s growth rate was faster than India for the first four decades. From 1961 to 1980, Pakistan’s growth rate was around six percent, while India rate was four percent.
But the situation changed in the 1990s. India abolished the ‘License-Permit-Kota’ system, which snatched power from the bureaucracy’s hands and began a rapid pace of development. The GDP started growing at the rate of seven to eight percent annually. Pakistan started to falter. Today India is becoming a global economic power. In June, India became the fourth largest economy in the world and is expected to move to third place by 2028. The World Bank says that India’s GDP is around $ 3.88 trillion, which is ten times more than Pakistan’s $ 0.37 trillion economy.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s economy is struggling with debt and crisis. He has to repeatedly seek help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In 2024, it received a loan of $ 7 billion, which was his 24th package. Today India is ahead of Pakistan on almost every economic scale. According to the purchasing power (PPP), Pakistan’s per capita income in 2023 was $ 5,439, while India was almost doubled. India is far ahead in the business. India’s total trade in 2023 was 17 times more than Pakistan. There is also a huge difference in foreign exchange reserves of India and Pakistan. India’s reserves are more than $ 688 billion, while Pakistan has about $ 15 billion.
Demonstration of military power
Since independence, both countries have been constantly strengthening their forces. There have been four wars between the two and many border clashes have also taken place. Recently, in May 2025, after the death of 26 people in the Pahalgam terrorist attack, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’. In the Global Firepower’s 2025 military power rankings, India is the fourth most powerful army in the world, while Pakistan ranks 12th. According to SIPRI, India is the fifth largest defense spending country in the world. In 2024, India spent $ 86 billion on the army, which is 2.3 percent of GDP. Pakistan spent $ 10.2 billion in the same year, which was 2.7 percent of its GDP. India is ahead of Pakistan in terms of number. India has 14.6 lakh active soldiers, 11.5 lakh reserve soldiers and 25 lakh paramilitary forces. Pakistan has 6.54 lakh active soldiers and about 5 lakh paramilitary forces.
Way of democracy
After independence, both countries adopted democracy. The first national elections were held in India in 1951-52. The first elections were held in Pakistan in 1970, which was the 1965 defeat, unrest in West Pakistan and Bengali nationalism in East Pakistan. Today India is the world’s largest democracy. 94.5 crore people were eligible for voting in the 2024 general election. The path of democracy has been difficult for Pakistan. Between 1958–69, 1977–88 and 1998-2008, democracy was postponed in the country and the power remained in the hands of the army. Even in the democratic era, the Army and ISI maintains control over foreign policy and security. Today there are discussions of coup in Pakistan. Current Army Chief Asim Munir has declared himself a field martial and is getting closer to US President Donald Trump.
Status of women
Sexual inequality is a major problem in both India and Pakistan. But India’s situation is much better. India was ranked 131st in the 2024 report of the World Economic Forum, while Pakistan is ranked 148th. Gender violence in both countries is a matter of concern. More than 24,000 cases of kidnapping and abduction were reported in Pakistan in 2024. On an average 67 cases were registered per day, but the conviction rate was only 0.1 percent. In thousands of cases of domestic violence, honor killing and rape, the conviction rate was less than 2 percent. In India, 45,000 rape cases were registered in 2022. Of these, in 27.4 percent of cases, the hearing was completed, conviction. In the 2023 rankings of the Jorgetown Institute, India was 128th and Pakistan was 158th in 177 countries in terms of women’s status.
Sports world
India and Pakistan are also staunch rival in sports world, especially cricket. The match between the two is no less than a war. When the two clashed in the Champions Trophy in February 2025, the record 20.6 crore people watched the match on TV, but India is ahead of Pakistan. India is at number one in the ICC ODI rankings, while Pakistan is at fifth place. India is also ahead in the Olympics. India has won 41 medals so far, while Pakistan has won a total of 11 medals. Overall, it can be said that India and Pakistan have selected different routes. Both of them started with a similar colonial heritage, but today India is the world’s largest democracy and the faster growing economy. On the other hand, Pakistan is trapped in the dominance of the Army and is constantly struggling with crises.
Way of democracy
After independence, both countries adopted democracy. The first national elections were held in India in 1951-52. The first elections were held in Pakistan in 1970, which was the 1965 defeat, unrest in West Pakistan and Bengali nationalism in East Pakistan. Today India is the world’s largest democracy. 94.5 crore people were eligible for voting in the 2024 general election. The path of democracy has been difficult for Pakistan. Between 1958–69, 1977–88 and 1998-2008, democracy was postponed in the country and the power remained in the hands of the army. Even in the democratic era, the Army and ISI maintains control over foreign policy and security. Today there are discussions of coup in Pakistan. Current Army Chief Asim Munir has declared himself a field martial and is getting closer to US President Donald Trump.
Status of women
Sexual inequality is a major problem in both India and Pakistan. But India’s situation is much better. India was ranked 131st in the 2024 report of the World Economic Forum, while Pakistan is ranked 148th. Gender violence in both countries is a matter of concern. More than 24,000 cases of kidnapping and abduction were reported in Pakistan in 2024. On an average 67 cases were registered per day, but the conviction rate was only 0.1 percent. In thousands of cases of domestic violence, honor killing and rape, the conviction rate was less than 2 percent. In India, 45,000 rape cases were registered in 2022. Of these, in 27.4 percent of cases, the hearing was completed, conviction. In the 2023 rankings of the Jorgetown Institute, India was 128th and Pakistan was 158th in 177 countries in terms of women’s status.
Sports world
India and Pakistan are also staunch rival in sports world, especially cricket. The match between the two is no less than a war. When the two clashed in the Champions Trophy in February 2025, the record 20.6 crore people watched the match on TV, but India is ahead of Pakistan. India is at number one in the ICC ODI rankings, while Pakistan is at fifth place. India is also ahead in the Olympics. India has won 41 medals so far, while Pakistan has won a total of 11 medals. Overall, it can be said that India and Pakistan have selected different routes. Both of them started with a similar colonial heritage, but today India is the world’s largest democracy and the faster growing economy. On the other hand, Pakistan is trapped in the dominance of the Army and is constantly struggling with crises.
