The public sentiment is strongly nationalistic, predominantly supporting military readiness while expressing frustration over governmental inaction. Despite a substantial majority advocating for a robust stance against perceived threats from Pakistan, there are also calls for peace and concerns about the human costs of potential conflict. The discussions reflect deep divisions, with a mix of pride in India's military capabilities and fears regarding escalated tensions leading to war.

Indian Government

Pakistani Government

When u compare budget, population and quality. Paks the pound for pound champion

No_Doctor_219

AwarenessNo4986

That not how u compare military strength...

Mystery-Snack

[deleted]

This just proves how if a full on war happens both sides will have a massive number of deaths it will be a loss for both countries and humanity. Also our army is blessed with the fact that they are not afraid of death and majority of Pakistani men are also ready to fight and embrace martyrdom. Can’t say that about India

FAT-OOF

These numbers mean very little in the real world. 

Pakistani military has developed an in-house armed complex and capabilities on a very small budget, which is very impressive. Pakistan is on track to become an arms dealer in the region, something India long ago tried but hasn't succeeded so far. 

Example: India tried selling Tejas to African states but failed miserably. However, Pakistan has sold JF17 to African states.

India and even European nations could not pull this off with their huge military budgets. 

Pakistan has helped China and Turkey develop their military programs by providing them with real time battle experience. The JF17 and Turkey's drone program were developed with war veteran Pakistani pilots. 

Pakistan's military equipment is mostly in-house and completely integrated while India has problems integrating NATO tech with Russian tech. 

Pakistan's missile program is one of the best and most accurate in the world. India's missile program is kind of shaky. 

India relies on American, Israeli, and European support in the war giving rise to logistical problems. Pakistan relies on China for support meaning very little logistics problems and China is in the neighborhood. India can be placed under a blockade from all sides. 

And don't even get started on the black market network that Pakistan developed during the nuclear program days. You will see even North Korea participating in the war and many other countries through different channels.

hashtaq2

I wish Allah Grant us a General like Khalid Bin waleed RA , we would be invincible

Sajidullahbaig

Look at the size difference of both countries too. India has troops all across the country so even if an all-out war broke out between both countries, not all of these troops would take part in it.

molecules7

I think morale can make the biggest difference.
WAR has always been one of the core part of Islamic history.

omii71

Bro, update your numbers for Pakistan; the figures are outdated.

Total_Commercial5347

Puzzleheaded-Sand883

AbdurRahmanSaeed

It also matters what that equipment is. India doesn't have f'16s I think.

AstaraArchMagus

this isnt a fair comparison since unlike india most of our troops are battle tested in either Waziristan or other tribal areas/afghan boarder and UN peace keeping missions we are the 4th largest contributor and unlike indian samosas our airforce is also one of the best and most professional in the word as we have seen time and again my only problem with our army is the navy or the lack there of I personally would rather us have submarines then a pure surface fleet

ReaperPlaysYT

In most categories they are twice or 2.5 times us

Ok-Appearance-1652

[Pakistan do not have any Destroyers](https://www.wdmmw.org/pakistan-navy.php). They are all frigates. There are 9 of them in total.

YearEightyEight

The self-proclaimed Muslim protector Marshal Munir was able to successfully salvage not only his position but also Get an extension for some time. It's a win for the the army , successfully revamping their image again. 

A big win for the army but a lose for the Pakistani society.

romeoomustdie

A bright star shimmered above the quiet lake, reflecting softly in rippling water.

Perdix_Icarus

This was probably the end goal. It’s not unheard of historically for countries that are struggling to wage a war to rally home support. The Argentine dictatorship did precisely this during the Falklands war. 

That said: pretty damned high risk game everyone played. This wasn’t to far from becoming an all out war. And after that, it could easily have escalated.

mahavirMechanized

Its the addage of - "to make yourself look more powerful you need an enemy"

Bob_Spud

Looking at Western commentary on this conflict what strikes me is that India is subjected to significantly more scrutiny and negativity than Pakistan, which is essentially a de-facto dictatorship and one of the least free countries in the world.

American and European political commentators and journalists breathlessly debate about how the conflict may have been 'stoked' by India's strongman leader to reinforce his own popularity. The reality is that 2025 is a lull period for Indian elections, with no major elections for at least 6 months. So if Modi really had to orchestrate any of this, he'd have waited till December at the least.

On the other hand Pakistan's military leaders receive a much clearer benefit from this, because they're finally able to rally public support around themselves after 2+ years of unending protests over their treatment of the country's ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party. Now Imran Khan has been virtually forgotten and Army Chief Asim Munir, who was previously quite unpopular, is being seen as the savior of the nation overnight.

1-randomonium

I comment on this in my blogpost on Op Sindhoor.   
[https://rpdeans.blogspot.com/2025/05/operation-sindhoor-what-we-dont-realise.html](https://rpdeans.blogspot.com/2025/05/operation-sindhoor-what-we-dont-realise.html)

I have written this to address some of the geopolitics around Operation Sindoor, combat disinformation and answer questions frequently raised on forums like this.  
After going through various reports of the actual action, I have linked the two I find most credible - Air Marshal Bedi, who is the only analyst to have actually flown fighters and handled air defence at a senior level (linked with his permission) and Tom Cooper, probably the world's leading writer on modern air combat, who has an outside perspective.

I look a the widening gap between India and Pak, explain why, as in the past, Pakistan took a reckless gamble, why the op had to end when it did and what happens next.

Dean_46

After the election fiasco, the train-jacking incident in Balochistan and a failed economy, literally the only thing that could have changed the narrative for now would be a confrontation with India.

hinterstoisser

maybe India missed a trick by not agreeing to a neutral investigation. 

Maybe next time Modi should avaoid a knee jerk reaction and think things through. 

Not everything is a Bollywood movie.

qsmrf56

India is preparing for war. Air raid sirens are being checked, bomb shelters readied and evacuation plans for schools and hospitals drawn up.

For the first time in more than 50 years, and with relations with neighbouring Pakistan reaching a nadir, the government in Delhi has ordered drills across the country on Wednesday to check contingency plans if hostilities break out.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will be preparing to camouflage and protect key structures and control rooms, including industrial and power plants, telecom towers, military posts and government buildings, against air attack. Civilian workers will be trained on how to protect themselves and respond to power cuts across 244 of India’s 796 districts

TimesandSundayTimes

Kind of insane right now. Never seen these kinds of drills or tension in the country before in my life. Most people don't want a war, but seem to kind of feel like it needs to happen.

HungryHungryHippoes9

Given the recent strikes, this news sounds a bit concerning.

Armano-Avalus

The last time India did a nation wide war drill, they started a war… so this isn’t looking good

Cunnilingusobsessed

Usually I shrug these incidents off, there a usual escalate to de-esclate situation, but this time India isnt playing around, I can sympathize with  India, because India is understandably being frustrated that for decades now Pakistan (especially through the isi, and the certain milltary officers) have sponsored countless terrorists attacks through the student islamic movement of India, Indian Mhujideen,  JEM, LET, HUiji, Hizbulmhujidean, Al Badr, etc from Pakistani soil , and Pakistani kashmir as well as through jihadi cells in Bangladesh, while constantly having plausible deniability

It time for the us to fully pivot towards India (of course cautiously while totally not throwing Pakistan under the bus and giving it a face saving mechanism due to a decent Pakistani disapora in the west, and preventing Pakistan becoming a failed state with loose nukes falling into the wrong hands) there a growing number of intreasts we can persue with the Indians such as IMEC, I2U2, anti- terrorism and counter terrorism intreasts, both nations growing intreasts in space , the need to divide and conquer brics + by wooing nations and potential brics + nations like India, Brazil, Ethiopia, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc. (to keep the dollar the world reserve currency), a common intreast in the containment of China regarding the Quad, the nine dash line policy, the Tibetian file, the Uyghur File, the Indian/Chinese disputed border file, the belt and road initiative file, China IP theft, China economic espionage,  China reverse engineering,  China manipulation of it currency, China aggressiveness concerning artifical island, Taiwan and South China sea, etc.

Anyways I hope tensions dont escalate, India going to cut off water from India and continue building dams  while annulling the Indus Watwr Treaty, while proabably do limited air and missle strikes targeting Jhadist targets inside Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir, refuse any Pakistan flights or layover flights to use Indian airspace and so forth, India made it clear it doesnt want war but it like a Guns of August situation where one false move or assassination or bad gambles (ie - it could be over by Christmas) that could trigger a war between the two nuclear powers, even a very limited and contained nuclear exchange fall out could cause horrific conditions include worldwide food shortages and famine in multiple spots due to fall out of exchanges in the atmosphere.

Psychological-Flow55

One war in Europe, one in Asia. Remind me of WW2 already.

petepro

Was this a distraction? Cause indian army just attacked 9 targets in Pakistan https://x.com/PTI_News/status/1919855539917619202

idkyimh

So if India and Pakistan go to war what does that mean for the rest of us?

i can see a couple of things

Both of them effectively get pulled off the board economically for a while. India is probably going to win in the end, but it will hurt, and nukes might fly. so millions of dead in the densest population area in the world.

The seas around the indian ocean get a lot more dangerous. China is an ally of Pakistan, and India is probably going to shoot first, ask questions later when it comes to shipping. which would have a severe effect on the economy of Europe, and a lesser effect on the economies of North America. If India targets the oil flowing from the Middle East, we could see China's economy grind to a halt, leading to a lot bigger issues.

colepercy120

This is going to be a very unpopular opinion and I’m as Western as they come, so give me a little slack for naiveness. 

I think India and Pakistan should be allies! They are almost the same people ethnically and if religion is the issue, let me share a little secret. No religion is right, they are all inaccurate so picking one is like picking a soccer team. You can cheer without being fanatical though.
I’m not sure what makes Kashmir so valuable but human life is probably more valuable, especially when it is not wasted.ultimately the rest of the world can’t allow your regional conflicts to potentially threaten the entire planet and human species, so please, consider that when you cheer your government and coax them to attack. I’m pretty sure some countries have a defacto policy of nuking other countries that do a first strike. And even if that is not true, can you imagine the scale of life lost? Whoever uses nukes will regret it forever.

So figure out a way to deal with your problems a different way. Can’t you just hack each other and use social media to manipulate society, China-style?

I_pee_in_shower

What are the chances China get involved in this mess with their ally Pakistan? They have their own beef with India and might see this as an opportunity. 

How true is it that Pakistan is claiming their J10s shot down some French  ones?

RebelKR

SS: Pakistan's defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, claimed on Monday that a military incursion by India was imminent in the aftermath of a deadly terror attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam last week.

Tensions have been high between the two nuclear-armed nations since the attack that killed 26 people and triggered outrage in the country. There have been several calls for action against Pakistan.

"We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation, some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken," Asif told Reuters in an interview at his office in Islamabad.

After the Pahalgam attack, the investigation pointed out two suspected terrorists as Pakistani. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.

Mundane-Laugh8562

Pakistan would only isolate and harm itself further if it makes the first move in a military conflict. I don't see why they would attack first unless it is for nationalistic chest thumping. I have seen both Pakistan and India claim that the other intends to attack first, so it seems to be more bellyaching and looking strong to their domestic audience than actual common sense.

Remarkable-Medium275

Pakistan basically trying to gain sympathy from the world by harbouring and training terrorists which kill innocents

Kay_Bhagtos_Lavdya

I’ve been following the situation between India and Pakistan for a while, and it’s always a bit concerning when tensions flare up like this. The two countries have such a complicated history, and it’s hard not to feel uneasy whenever a new claim or accusation is made. I remember a few years ago when I was traveling in that region, I was talking to some locals in the border areas, and they expressed a lot of frustration and fear over how the military and political rhetoric can escalate so quickly. There’s this constant feeling that even small incidents can blow up and lead to bigger problems. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for the people living there, just trying to go about their daily lives.

From what I’ve seen and heard, both sides seem to play a dangerous game of one-upmanship, and it often feels like the people paying the price are those who just want peace. I’ve read reports of skirmishes, misinformation, and propaganda on both sides, and it makes it even harder to understand the truth of what’s going on. As an outsider, it’s easy to form opinions, but I try to remain cautious about drawing conclusions without understanding the full context. Do others think the situation has been escalating recently, or is this just another instance of political theater? It’s hard to keep track of what’s real and what’s just fueling the fire.

mrgrassydassy

Never interrupt your enemy as they're making unforced errors. India simply needs to raise the spectre of water denial to exacerbate internal tensions between Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan, while supporting the Baloch insurgency, and ensuring the Taliban remain hostile to Islamabad / Rawalpindi. Pakistan's state of affairs is already a slow-motion trainwreck - they're their own worst enemies. India just needs to do a few things to speed it up, while ensuring it avoids costly, all-out war, securing its foreign investment and economic growth.

WellOkayMaybe

If India has reached the conclusion that Pakistan is behind this and conflict is the only option, we need to trigger the conflict as a response to Pehelgam AND ALSO AS A RESPONSE TO A RECENTLY CONCLUDED INVESTIGATION THAT FOUND PAKISTAN GUILTY OF KILLING INNOCENTS IN PREVIOUS ATTACKS.

On a separate note..

The chinese have provoked India with their support to pak. Cant say Im surprised. Their basis is to ask for an 'investigation'

Lets see if the chinese are willing to do more than words. If yes, change the taiwan policy to be borderline belligerent.
The scale goes from words to weapons to giving them nukes. All options on the table.. Just like china gave to Pak in the 70s 80s..
I would be surprised if china has anything more to offer to pak than words and some unsc bs support

To address the 'we need to finish the investigation' nonsense i repeat we can say the following - 

This recently concluded investigation has resulted in finding that the 2008 attasks or (the recent bus attacks on pilgrims) had the support of the highest level in Pak. India therefore sees this as an Act of War and is acting in retaliation to that.

This will expose the chinese intentions and address the world's concerns about 'investigations'

shankisaiyan

Errbody really lining up for another world war huh ?

ndndr1

Hello, u/mareko_daru_mangta!! Thank you for your submission to r/CriticalThinkingIndia. We appreciate your contribution to our community.

If your submission consists of Photo/Video, then, please provide the source of the same under this comment.

If your submission is a link to an external source, then, please provide a summary of the information provided in that link in the comments.

We hope that you will follow these rules and engage in meaningful discussions.

*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CriticalThinkingIndia) if you have any questions or concerns.*

AutoModerator

study iq type channels also made a fortune crazy viewership they were gettingon recent videos and many other youtuber

NoUnderstanding5881

Stop this money spent on defence for hospital! Tell me which hospital is going to defend against the incoming drones and missiles? 

Wake up from your delusional dream world! The real world is tough! We need the hospital and schools, but at the same time a solid defence against pests like the Porki! 

Jai hind!

I hope Indian mainstream media has lost enough credibility for people to question then even during times of peace.

Deep_Ray

But the airforce is saying the operation sindoor is still ongoing bro. WTH is happening?

MahatmaBapu69

If the nuke thing is true then we were very close to world war

A very big win for our military capabilities and indigenous equipments.

okokokre

Tax money should be spent on Defense, not sure what idotic post is this.

Most thinking Indians were disgusted by the way the mainstream media presented hype, fake stories, fake nationalism and panic mongering packaged as news. I had to watch DD News and Firstpost to understand anything at all.

Flaky-Page8721

SlowTax1136

No side is innocent? So terrorists are the same as the Indian state in your book?

Recent-Primary-522

One_Nefariousness145

You forgot one more loser - Chinese and Turkish equipment.

St_ElmosFire

Have we not won the fact with these 2 articles?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjewen7w192o.amp

Reuters:
Explosions reported after India and Pakistan agree to ceasefire
11 hours ago

Matrix-Agent

We lost 26 people in the terrorist attack, and since the conflict began, many more civilians and army personnel have died.
This whole situation feels like a loss for us. They haven’t officially said anything, and they’re even claiming to have come out victorious.
I expected better from this hyper-nationalist government. It seems they were more focused on saving face in the eyes of the public, and the media played its part by hyping things up.

It was all related to election from having lax security to allow terrorists and to revenge. 

It’s happened more than once to call it coincidence.

Party first, nation second

Ok_Medium9389

Not as simple you make it out to be

Kashmir is the main issue here

Other states that shares borders with Pakistan don't have the same problems

We need to make Jammu a seperate state first then deal with Kashmir

batsid

I wonder if there is still a possibility for India and China to work closely and collaboratively.

Artistic_Expert_550

I think India can’t go with a traditional approach we must use western tactics like supporting Baloch independence through external parties

gunner6376

Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi issued a stern warning to Pakistan, demanding an end to state-sponsored terrorism or face severe consequences. The tensions escalated following military confrontations where significant losses were reported on both sides.

India-Pakistan Tensions and Military Preparedness

Why This Matters

Public Sentiment Summary

Highlighted Comments

Parties Involved

What the people want