India and Pakistan share a border, a colonial history, and deep cultural ties — but their development trajectories have diverged dramatically. We used the StatsPanda Comparison Tool to compare every key metric, from a 10x GDP gap to stark differences in literacy and healthcare.
The India vs Pakistan at a Glance
The India vs Pakistan comparison is one of the most searched geopolitical matchups in the world. These two South Asian neighbors were born from the same partition in 1947 but have followed radically different development paths. Using StatsPanda's Comparison Tool, we analyzed how India and Pakistan compare today across economy, population, health, education, and infrastructure.
| Metric | India | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1.44 billion | 240 million |
| GDP (Nominal) | $3.9 trillion | $340 billion |
| GDP Per Capita | $2,730 | $1,400 |
| GDP Growth Rate | 7.0% | 2.5% |
| Life Expectancy | 70.8 years | 66.5 years |
| Literacy Rate | 77% | 58% |
| Median Age | 28.2 years | 22.0 years |
| Fertility Rate | 2.0 | 3.3 |
| Urban Population | 36% | 37% |
| Internet Users | 52% | 36% |
| Infant Mortality | 25.5 per 1,000 | 52.3 per 1,000 |
| HDI Score | 0.644 | 0.544 |
Every metric in this table can be explored in depth using the StatsPanda Comparison Tool. Compare India vs Pakistan across all 12 data categories.
India vs Pakistan Economy: A Growing Divergence
The India vs Pakistan GDP comparison illustrates one of the most dramatic economic divergences between neighboring countries. India's $3.9 trillion economy is more than 11 times larger than Pakistan's $340 billion. At the time of partition in 1947, the two economies were roughly proportional to their populations. Today, India's economy is disproportionately larger.
GDP per capita shows India at $2,730 versus Pakistan's $1,400 — a nearly 2x gap. While neither country is wealthy by global standards, India has been pulling ahead consistently. India's GDP growth of 7.0% in 2025 was the fastest among major economies. Pakistan's 2.5% growth came after a year of IMF-backed stabilization following a balance-of-payments crisis.
Pakistan's economy has been constrained by political instability, high debt servicing costs, and energy shortages. Government debt consumes a significant share of revenue, leaving less for development spending. India, while not without challenges, has benefited from a more stable reform trajectory, growing foreign investment, and its emergence as a technology services powerhouse.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) underscores the gap: India attracted over $45 billion in FDI in 2025, while Pakistan received roughly $1.5 billion — a 30x difference that reflects investor confidence levels.
India vs Pakistan Population and Demographics
The India vs Pakistan population comparison shows India with 6 times more people (1.44 billion vs 240 million). But Pakistan's population is growing much faster. With a fertility rate of 3.3 — compared to India's 2.0 — Pakistan is projected to reach 400 million by 2060, making it one of the fastest-growing countries in the world.
Pakistan's median age of 22 makes it one of the youngest countries on earth — younger even than most Sub-Saharan African nations. India's median age of 28.2 is also young by global standards but reflects a more advanced demographic transition. Pakistan's youth bulge is a double-edged sword: it represents a massive potential workforce but also requires enormous investment in education and job creation.
Urbanization is nearly identical at 36-37% for both countries, meaning both remain predominantly rural. However, India's urban centers — Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore — are significantly larger and more economically productive than Pakistan's cities of Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.
India vs Pakistan Health and Education
The India vs Pakistan health comparison shows India ahead on every major metric. Life expectancy in India is 70.8 years versus 66.5 in Pakistan — a 4.3-year gap. Infant mortality in Pakistan (52.3 per 1,000) is more than double India's already-high rate (25.5). Both countries face significant healthcare challenges, but Pakistan's are more severe.
Pakistan's maternal mortality ratio is roughly 3 times India's, reflecting inadequate access to obstetric care in rural areas. Health expenditure in Pakistan (3.0% of GDP) is lower than India's (3.3%), and both are well below global averages.
Education reveals the widest development gap. India's literacy rate of 77% leads Pakistan's 58% by 19 percentage points. Pakistan has one of the world's largest out-of-school populations, with an estimated 22 million children not enrolled. India has achieved near-universal primary enrollment, though quality and secondary access remain challenges.
The India vs Pakistan education comparison also shows diverging tertiary enrollment: India's university enrollment rate exceeds 30%, while Pakistan's is around 10%. India's IT sector employs millions of college-educated workers; Pakistan's tech sector is growing but remains much smaller.
India vs Pakistan Infrastructure and Governance
Infrastructure tells a story of widening gaps. India's internet penetration (52%) exceeds Pakistan's (36%), and India has built extensive highway, rail, and digital payment networks. India's UPI digital payment system processes over 10 billion transactions per month — more than all U.S. card transactions combined.
On governance, the World Bank's indicators show India consistently scoring higher on government effectiveness, rule of law, and control of corruption. Pakistan's political instability — with frequent changes of government and military interventions — has hampered long-term policy implementation and deterred investment.
Key Takeaways: India vs Pakistan Comparison
- Economy: India's GDP is 11x larger; growing at 7.0% vs Pakistan's 2.5%
- Population: India has 6x more people, but Pakistan is growing much faster (fertility 3.3 vs 2.0)
- Education: India's 77% literacy rate versus Pakistan's 58% is a 19-point gap; Pakistan has 22 million out-of-school children
- Health: India leads with 4.3 more years of life expectancy and half the infant mortality rate
- Demographics: Pakistan's median age of 22 is among the youngest globally, creating both opportunity and challenge
- Governance: India scores higher on effectiveness, corruption control, and rule of law metrics
Explore the Full India vs Pakistan Comparison
Use StatsPanda's free Comparison Tool to compare India and Pakistan across 150+ metrics including financial systems, environment, innovation, and social indicators.
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Data sourced from the World Bank Open Data, United Nations Population Division, WHO Global Health Observatory, and UNESCO Institute for Statistics. GDP figures reflect nominal USD for 2025. Population estimates are mid-2025 projections. Explore the full dataset and compare any two countries at statspanda.com/tools/compare.
