India’s critical military modernization and its position as a leading arms importer have introduced significant implications for regional stability, and this growing conventional asymmetry has introduced serious implications for South Asia’s peace and strategic stability. The 2024 report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) underscores India’s position as the world’s largest importer of major arms between 2019 and 2023, spotlighting a substantial influx of advanced weaponry.[1] Pakistan has implemented necessary advancement measures to counteract India’s headlong militarization, thereby enhancing its deterrence capabilities and maintaining strategic stability amidst India’s escalating defence expenditure and aggressive posture. Pakistan has had several security issues since its independence in 1947, mostly because of the antagonistic relationship with India. These were primarily driven by the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir, especially after India’s Illegal occupation and the denial of the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.[2] The regional power disparity, accentuated by India’s expanding military machine, compelled Pakistan to explore strategies to mitigate its opponent’s conventional military dominance.
