India vs Bangladesh: Military Power Comparison Shows India’s Clear Strategic Edge

Following the brutal mob lynching of Hindu youth Deepu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, where a dozen people have been arrested so far, concerns over regional tensions have resurfaced. While India has raised concerns over attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, experts point out that in terms of military strength, Bangladesh is far behind India and would struggle to sustain a confrontation.

Air Power Advantage
India enjoys a decisive edge in air capabilities. According to data from NationMaster, Bangladesh operates approximately 100 combat aircraft, whereas India fields nearly 1,080, making India more than ten times stronger in aerial combat potential. India also possesses around 140 attack helicopters compared to Bangladesh’s 24, further consolidating its dominance in air warfare.

Ground Forces and Armored Strength
On land, India commands a formidable advantage with approximately 5,978 main battle tanks, while Bangladesh has around 662. This difference highlights India’s superior ground warfare capacity. In terms of personnel and heavy weaponry, India remains significantly more capable.

Defense Budget Gap
India’s defense budget of roughly $42.84 billion vastly outpaces Bangladesh’s $0.83 billion, making it over 50 times larger. This substantial expenditure enables India to invest heavily in modern weaponry, advanced technology, and military research.

Naval Superiority
India also maintains a strong naval presence, with two aircraft carriers, more than 20 submarines—including nuclear-powered vessels—and dozens of advanced warships. Bangladesh, by contrast, has no aircraft carriers or submarines and maintains only six corvette-class warships, primarily for coastal defense.

Manpower Comparison
India’s military personnel ratio stands at about 2.78 per 1,000 population, compared to Bangladesh’s 1.78 per 1,000. While Bangladesh scores slightly better on the Global Peace Index (2.16 vs India’s 2.57), in terms of raw military strength, India clearly dominates across all domains—land, air, and sea.

Conclusion
Overall, the data underscores India’s overwhelming strategic advantage in military capabilities. Bangladesh’s armed forces are primarily structured for defensive and regional security needs, whereas India possesses both the capacity and technology to project significant power in any potential conflict scenario.