KHUSHI KUMARI
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Defence Spending & Capability India: Defence budget around $86 billion, advanced army, navy, air force Pakistan: Significantly lower spending (approx $10 billion), though recently increased ~20%
Women’s Rights & Safety India: Ranked 131st on the Global Gender Gap Index; better conviction rate (~27%) in sexual assault cases Pakistan: Rank around 148th with very low legal conviction rates (under 2%)
Education & Literacy India: Steady gains in female education and digital inclusion Pakistan: Educational parity improving but still lagging behind India
Economy & Development India: Larger, diversified economy with strong growth trajectory Pakistan: Fragile economy vulnerable to conflict shocks
Economy & Development India: Larger, diversified economy with strong growth trajectory Pakistan: Fragile economy vulnerable to conflict shocks
Human Rights & Rule of Law India: U.S. report says India took “minimal credible steps” on human rights Pakistan: Criticized for “rarely taking credible steps” to redress abuses
Women’s Inclusion & Safety Index India: Ranked 128th on Women, Peace & Security Index; financial inclusion improving—from 42.6% to 77.6% Pakistan: Lower gender parity across most indicators
Sports & Soft Power India: Emerging strength in cricket, hockey, and growing global visibility Pakistan: Sports legacy strong but facing challenges in infrastructure and international rankings
While both capitals embody complex legacies, India—with its deeper democratic roots, & improving gender parity, as currently standing ahead. However, Pakistan shows areas of improvement, especially in education and offering space for future gains