Comparing Capitals at 78: Which Stands on Top—India or Pakistan?

KHUSHI KUMARI

Image Source:  GOOGLE IMAGES

An Independence Day comparison of New Delhi and Islamabad across key domains: governance, economy, defence, women’s rights, education, safety, and sports

India: The world’s largest democracy—first general elections in 1951–52 Pakistan: Held its first election only in 1970. Frequent military rule has undermined democratic continuity

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