Comparative Assessment of Defence Industrial Capabilities of Pakistan and India: Indigenous Production, Technological Innovation, and Strategic Autonomy in South Asia

This paper plays a comparative analysis of the defense industrial capabilities of Pakistan and India, in terms of how each country seeks to go in the direction of indigenous production, technological advancement and strategic independence in the changing security environment in the South Asian region. The study examines the evolution of the military spheres and history of the two nations, the institutional nature of the development, and the political and economic factors impacting decision-making. Through the analysis of the most prominent sectors- aerospace, armored systems, naval platforms and emerging technologies the study notes disparities in industrial maturity, culture of research and state industry co-operation. It also evaluates the contribution of global alliances, transfer of technology, and export aspirations to the long-term strategic objectives of individual countries. In the end, this comparative evaluation will help to better understand what the strong and weak aspects of the development of Pakistan and India toward increased self-reliance in the creation of military forces are, as well as what the future directions of this process is, and how these decisions impact on the stability and power balance in South Asia.