Finance
Factbox-How do Pakistan and Taliban Afghan militaries stack up as tensions flare?
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 27, 2026
3 min readLast updated: February 27, 2026
Quick Summary
Pakistan's forces vastly outsize the Taliban's across manpower, armor, artillery and air power. IISS data shows Pakistan fields 465 combat aircraft and a 170-warhead nuclear arsenal, while Afghanistan lacks fighter jets and a functional air force.
Pakistan vs Taliban: How Their Military Forces Compare Amid Rising Tensions
Feb 27 (Reuters) - Cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan intensified overnight, with both sides claiming heavy losses and the Pakistani defence minister saying his country was in an "open war" with its neighbour.
Data Source: IISS
As tensions persist, here is a look at how Pakistan dwarfs Afghanistan's military forces and arsenals, according to data from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Military Balance: Pakistan vs Afghan Taliban
OVERVIEW
Recruitment and Partnerships
Overview of Capabilities
Pakistan's armed forces benefit from good recruitment and retention, bolstered by equipment from its main defence partner China. Islamabad continues to invest in its military nuclear programmes and is also modernising its navy and air force.
Modernization and Recognition
The capability of the Afghan Taliban's armed forces, meanwhile, is declining, with a fall in their ability to use foreign equipment that the Islamist group seized when it returned to power in the landlocked country in 2021.
A lack of international recognition for the Taliban administration has also hurt military modernisation.
Personnel
PERSONNEL
Pakistan Personnel Strength
Pakistan has 660,000 active personnel in its defence forces, of whom 560,000 are in the army, 70,000 are in the air force, and 30,000 are in the navy.
Afghan Taliban Personnel
The strength of the Afghan Taliban's military is thinner, with only 172,000 active personnel. The group has, however, announced plans to expand its armed forces to 200,000 personnel.
Fighting Vehicles and Artillery
FIGHTING VEHICLES AND ARTILLERY
Pakistan Inventory
Pakistan has more than 6,000 armoured fighting vehicles, and over 4,600 pieces of artillery.
Afghan Inventory and Unknowns
The Afghan forces also possess armoured fighting vehicles, including Soviet-era main battle tanks, armoured personnel carriers and autonomous underwater vehicles, but their exact number is unknown.
The precise number of artillery they possess, which is of at least three different types, is similarly not known.
Air Power
AIR FORCE
Pakistan Aircraft and Helicopters
Pakistan has a fleet of 465 combat aircraft and more than 260 helicopters that include multi-role, attack and transport choppers.
Afghanistan’s Limited Air Assets
Afghanistan has no fighter jets and no real air force to speak of. It is known to possess at least six aircraft - some of them dating back again to the Soviet era - and 23 helicopters, although it is not possible to assess how many are in flying condition.
Nuclear Capabilities
NUCLEAR ARSENAL
Warhead Count and Deterrence
While Pakistan is a nuclear-armed country and has 170 warheads, Afghanistan does not have a nuclear arsenal.
(Compiled by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Key Takeaways
- •Pakistan’s armed forces significantly outnumber and outgun the Taliban-led Afghan forces across personnel, armor, artillery and air power.
- •IISS data indicates Pakistan fields hundreds of combat aircraft and helicopters, while Afghanistan has no fighter jets and a minimal, degraded fleet.
- •Pakistan maintains a nuclear arsenal estimated at 170 warheads; Afghanistan has no nuclear capability.
- •Taliban military capability has declined due to poor maintenance, limited training and lack of international recognition hampering modernization.
- •Pakistan continues modernizing with Chinese-sourced equipment and investments in naval and air capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions about Factbox-How do Pakistan and Taliban Afghan militaries stack up as tensions flare?
1What is the main topic?
A comparative overview of Pakistan’s and the Taliban-led Afghan military capabilities based on IISS data amid escalating cross-border tensions.
2How do the air forces compare?
Pakistan operates a large, modernized air arm with hundreds of combat aircraft and helicopters, while Afghanistan lacks fighter jets and has only a small, limited fleet.
3Does Afghanistan have nuclear weapons?
No. Pakistan is a nuclear-armed state with an estimated 170 warheads, whereas Afghanistan has no nuclear arsenal.
