India and China, two of the largest and most populous nations on Earth, are also among the world’s foremost military powers. Their strategic rivalry encompasses border disputes, economic competition, and influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Here’s how their military capabilities stack up against each other:
Manpower
- India: Boasts one of the largest military personnel counts in the world, with over 1.4 million active-duty troops and a significant reserve force. This vast manpower provides India with a substantial pool for large-scale military operations.
- China: Has the world’s largest military force in terms of active personnel, with approximately 2 million active-duty soldiers. The size of China’s military is a critical component of its comprehensive national power.
Defense Budget
- India: India’s defense budget is among the top globally, earmarked at over $70 billion in recent years. This budget supports ongoing modernization efforts across the army, navy, and air force.
- China: China’s defense spending is the second-largest worldwide, exceeding $250 billion. This significant investment fuels China’s rapid military modernization and expansion, focusing on both traditional and asymmetric warfare capabilities.
Land Forces
- India: India’s Army is well-equipped with a large tank fleet, including the indigenous Arjun and Russian T-90s, and a vast array of artillery systems. India emphasizes high-altitude warfare, given its border challenges.
- China: The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ground force has undergone significant modernization, with a focus on mobility and mechanization. China has a large inventory of modern tanks, such as the Type 99, and a variety of infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery.
Air Power
- India: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is a formidable component of India’s military, with an emphasis on modernizing its fighter aircraft fleet. It operates a mix of Russian, French, and British aircraft, including the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Mirage 2000, and the indigenous Tejas. India is also investing in acquiring new platforms like the Rafale and developing the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft).
- China: The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is rapidly closing the technology gap with leading air powers, deploying advanced fighters like the J-20 stealth aircraft and J-16. China’s focus on indigenous development has led to significant advancements in UAVs and AEW&C systems.
Naval Capabilities
- India: The Indian Navy is a blue-water force with two operational aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and the indigenous INS Vikrant, and a third one planned. It operates a mix of Russian and indigenous destroyers, frigates, and submarines, including nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), emphasizing its strategic depth in the Indian Ocean.
- China: The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has grown into a major global force, with a fleet that includes two aircraft carriers, with more under construction, and a significant number of modern destroyers, frigates, and submarines. China’s naval expansion aims to project power far beyond its shores, particularly in the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Nuclear Arsenal
- India: India possesses a no-first-use nuclear policy and maintains a triad of nuclear delivery systems designed for credible minimum deterrence. Its arsenal includes land-based missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and air-launched weapons.
- China: China has a larger and more diverse nuclear arsenal than India, with a significant number of warheads deliverable by a range of systems including ICBMs, SLBMs, and bomber aircraft. China’s nuclear strategy is also centered on a no-first-use policy.
Technological Advancements and Strategic Doctrines
- India: India is focusing on enhancing its cyber and space warfare capabilities, developing anti-satellite weapons, and investing in AI and unmanned systems. Its military strategy emphasizes jointness and integration among its armed forces to effectively counter both Pakistan and China.
- China: Under its military-civil fusion doctrine, China is aggressively advancing in areas like cyber warfare, space capabilities, and artificial intelligence. The PLA is restructuring for modern warfare, emphasizing network-centric operations and the ability to conduct long-range precision strikes.
Conclusion
The military strengths of India and China reflect their geopolitical ambitions and the evolving security dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region. While China holds quantitative and qualitative advantages in several areas, India’s strategic partnerships, technological endeavors, and military modernization efforts position it as a formidable counterbalance in the region. The ongoing border tensions and the broader strategic competition underscore the importance of these military capabilities in their bilateral relations and their impact on regional stability.