Pakistan’s Military Build-Up and Strategic Challenge for India

The strategic contest between nuclear-armed neighbors continues long after active fighting stops, according to strategic affairs expert Shishir Gupta. Speaking on the Hindustan Times show Point Blank, Gupta analyzed the shifting dynamics between pakistan india relations following Operation Sindoor. He noted that Islamabad continues to invest heavily in advanced military capabilities and build international partnerships, meaning the overall challenge for New Delhi remains undiminished.

Shifting Military Capabilities Across Multiple Domains

The competitive landscape extends far beyond fighter aircraft, missiles, and submarines to encompass diplomatic bargaining, intelligence operations, and information warfare. Intelligence inputs suggest Pakistan could potentially acquire Chinese fifth-generation J-20 fighter aircraft as early as early 2027, with pilots already undergoing training in China. While technical questions remain regarding engine endurance, these platforms alongside advanced long-range air-to-air missiles like the PL-16 and PL-17 could significantly strengthen aerial capabilities.

This modernization forms part of a broader military expansion directed by the military leadership, utilizing financial flexibility characteristic of a quasi-military state. Acquired hardware includes Chinese HQ-9B air-defence systems, Yuan-class or Hangor-class submarines, and unmanned combat systems sourced from China and Turkey. Gupta argued that India's military advantage must be actively sustained through continuous modernization, self-reliance, and robust domestic manufacturing rather than assuming past operations permanently reduced the threat.

India must combine military strength with institutional resilience, counterintelligence, and independent strategic judgement to meet evolving security challenges.

India is actively responding to these developments by integrating long-range air-to-air missiles like the Russian RVV-BD, advancing the indigenous Astra program, and acquiring the fifth S-400 system. However, Gupta stressed that national security requires looking beyond hardware procurement. Protecting influential institutions from covert influence and countering information operations are equally vital for maintaining national cohesion and strategic edge.

Why it matters

India retains the military advantage, but sustaining that edge will require self-reliance, sustained modernisation and greater attention to threats from within. This ongoing modernization cycle affects regional stability and operational planning for military planners across South Asia.