India vs Pakistan 2025: Detailed Missile Types and Comparison | The Dainik
India vs Pakistan 2025: Detailed Missile Types and Comparison
Published: Saturday, May 10, 2025 | By The Dainik News Team
In 2025, India and Pakistan field some of the world’s most diverse and advanced missile arsenals. From battlefield rockets to strategic nuclear-capable missiles and cutting-edge air-to-air weapons, both nations have invested heavily in their missile forces to deter threats and shape the balance of power in South Asia.
Ballistic Missiles: The Backbone of Strategic Deterrence
Missile
Country
Type
Range (km)
Warhead
Guidance
Role
Agni-I
India
SRBM
700–900
Nuclear/Conventional
Inertial
Strategic deterrent
Agni-II
India
MRBM
2,000–3,000
Nuclear/Conventional
Inertial
Strategic deterrent
Agni-III
India
IRBM
3,000–5,000
Nuclear
Inertial
Strategic deterrent
Agni-IV
India
IRBM
3,500–4,000
Nuclear
Inertial
Strategic deterrent
Agni-V
India
ICBM
5,000–5,500+
Nuclear
Inertial, MIRV capable
Strategic deterrent
Pralay
India
SRBM
150–500
Conventional
Advanced navigation
Tactical strike
Shaheen-I
Pakistan
SRBM
750–900
Nuclear/Conventional
Inertial
Strategic deterrent
Shaheen-II
Pakistan
MRBM
1,500–2,000
Nuclear/Conventional
Inertial
Strategic deterrent
Shaheen-III
Pakistan
MRBM
2,750–3,000
Nuclear
Inertial
Strategic deterrent
Fatah-II
Pakistan
Guided Rocket/Artillery
250–400
Conventional
Inertial + Satellite, terminal guidance
Precision tactical strike
India’s Agni series provides a full spectrum of strategic reach, from regional (Agni-I/II) to intercontinental (Agni-V), all nuclear-capable and road-mobile.
Pakistan’s Shaheen series offers credible deterrence against Indian targets, with the Shaheen-III extending reach to India’s eastern frontiers.[1][8]
Fatah-II is Pakistan’s latest guided artillery rocket, offering precision strikes at up to 400 km, with a flat trajectory for evading air defenses.[1]
Pralay is India’s newest SRBM, designed for rapid, precise strikes against tactical targets, with a range up to 500 km.[1]
Cruise Missiles: Versatility and Precision
Missile
Country
Type
Range (km)
Speed
Warhead
Guidance
Role
BrahMos
India/Russia
Supersonic Cruise
290–450
Mach 2.8–3.0
Conventional
Inertial + GPS, terminal radar
Land/sea/air strike
Nirbhay
India
Subsonic Cruise
800–1,000
Mach 0.7
Conventional/Nuclear
Inertial + GPS
Strategic, precision strike
Babur
Pakistan
Subsonic Cruise
450–700
Mach 0.8
Conventional/Nuclear
Inertial + GPS
Land/sea/underwater strike
Harbah
Pakistan
Anti-ship/Land-attack
450
Mach 0.8
Conventional
Inertial + GPS
Naval strike
BrahMos is the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile, deployable from land, sea, and air, with pinpoint accuracy and a heavy warhead.[1]
Nirbhay is India’s long-range subsonic cruise missile, offering strategic strike options with terrain-hugging flight.
Babur and Harbah are Pakistan’s indigenous cruise missiles, offering nuclear and conventional options from land and sea.[8]
Multi-Barrel Rocket & Artillery Systems
System
Country
Type
Range (km)
Guidance
Role
Pinaka MBRL
India
Multi-Barrel Rocket
45–75
Inertial + GPS (latest)
Quick, sustained firepower
Fatah-II
Pakistan
Guided Rocket
250–400
Inertial + Satellite, terminal
Precision tactical strike
Pinaka is India’s indigenous MBRL, now with guided variants for precision fire at up to 75 km.[1]
Fatah-II is Pakistan’s advanced guided rocket, with a 400 km range and flat trajectory for evading air defenses.[1]
Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs): The Dogfight Edge
Missile
Country
Type
Range (km)
Guidance
Platform
Role
Meteor
India
BVR AAM
150–200
Active radar, datalink, ramjet
Rafale
Long-range air superiority
Astra Mk1/2
India
BVR AAM
110–160
Active radar, datalink
Su-30MKI, Tejas, MiG-29
Long-range air combat
Derby ER
India/Israel
BVR AAM
100
Active radar
Tejas, MiG-29K
Long-range air combat
PL-15
Pakistan/China
BVR AAM
150–200
AESA radar, datalink
JF-17 Block 3, J-10C
Long-range air superiority
PL-12/SD-10
Pakistan/China
BVR AAM
70–100
Active radar
JF-17, J-10C
BVR air combat
AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM
USA/Pakistan
BVR AAM
75–105
Active radar
F-16
BVR air combat
R-77
Russia/India
BVR AAM
80–110
Active radar
Su-30MKI, MiG-29
BVR air combat
AIM-9L/P Sidewinder
USA/Pakistan
Short-range AAM
18–35
Infrared
F-16, Mirage III/V
Dogfight, close combat
Python-5
Israel/India
Short-range AAM
20–25
Imaging infrared
Tejas
Dogfight, close combat
India’s Meteor (Rafale) and Astra Mk2 (Su-30MKI, Tejas) are among the world’s most advanced BVR missiles, with ramjet propulsion and AESA radar guidance.[3][7]
Pakistan’s PL-15 (JF-17 Block 3, J-10C) is a long-range, AESA-guided missile, comparable to Meteor and AMRAAM-D.[3][7]
AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM equips Pakistani F-16s, while India’s R-77 and Derby ER equip Su-30MKI, MiG-29, and Tejas.[3][7]
Short-range: India uses Python-5 and R-73; Pakistan uses AIM-9L/P and PL-10.
Missile Technology: Guidance, Mobility, and Strategic Roles
Guidance: Both nations employ inertial navigation, GPS, and active radar seekers for high accuracy. Terminal guidance and mid-course corrections are common in their latest missiles.[1][3]
Mobility: Mobile launchers for Fatah-II, Pralay, Pinaka, and Shaheen/Agni series allow rapid deployment and survivability.[1]
Strategic Role: India’s missile arsenal covers tactical (Pinaka, Pralay), operational (BrahMos, Nirbhay), and strategic (Agni series) roles. Pakistan’s arsenal is strong in tactical (Fatah-II), operational (Babur, Harbah), and strategic (Shaheen series) domains.[1][8]
Summary Table: Key Missile Comparison (2025)
Type
India 🇮🇳
Pakistan 🇵🇰
Strategic Ballistic
Agni-I to Agni-V (700–5,500+ km)
Shaheen-I/II/III (750–3,000 km)
Tactical Ballistic
Pralay (150–500 km)
Fatah-II (250–400 km)
Cruise Missiles
BrahMos (290–450 km), Nirbhay (800–1,000 km)
Babur (450–700 km), Harbah (450 km)
Multi-Barrel Rocket
Pinaka (45–75 km)
Fatah-II (250–400 km)
BVR Air-to-Air
Meteor, Astra Mk1/2, Derby ER, R-77
PL-15, PL-12, AIM-120C-5
Short-range AAM
Python-5, R-73
AIM-9L/P, PL-10
Conclusion: The Missile Balance in 2025
India maintains a broader and more layered missile arsenal, ranging from battlefield rockets to ICBMs, with a strong focus on indigenous development and precision strike. Pakistan, while outnumbered, has rapidly modernized its missile forces, fielding advanced guided rockets like Fatah-II and long-range air-to-air missiles like PL-15, narrowing the qualitative gap. Both nations’ missile capabilities are central to deterrence and will shape the outcome of any future conflict.
