India emerged as the fifth-largest military spender in the world in 2024, allocating $86.1 billion to defense, nearly nine times more than Pakistan’s $10.2 billion, according to a report released Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The findings underscore a sharp regional imbalance and come amid renewed hostilities following a major terrorist attack in Kashmir.

Also check : Global Military Spending Soars to Record $2.7 Trillion in 2024

India’s military budget grew by 1.6% year-on-year, with a 42% increase since 2015, reflecting the country’s focus on modernizing its armed forces and bolstering defense capabilities amid mounting cross-border threats.

Pakistan’s spending, in comparison, remained modest, even as regional tensions intensified. The stark disparity in defense budgets comes at a time of growing military preparedness and strategic posturing in South Asia.

Globally, military expenditure soared to $2,718 billion in 2024, a 9.4% increase from the previous year and the fastest annual rise since the Cold War’s end. The top five spenders — the United States, China, Russia, Germany, and India — accounted for 60% of the total global defense outlay, collectively investing $1.635 trillion.

“Spending has increased every year for a full decade, rising by 37% since 2015,” the SIPRI report highlighted.

Amid escalating regional conflicts, military budgets swelled across continents:

• China maintained its position as Asia’s top spender, increasing defense outlays by 7% to $314 billion.
• Russia allocated $149 billion, up 38% from 2023, now representing 7.1% of its GDP.
• Germany’s military expenditure surged by 28% to $88.5 billion, making it the largest spender in Western Europe.
• Ukraine, still at war, allocated $64.7 billion — 34% of its GDP, the highest military burden globally.

Back home, India’s defense boost follows the deadliest terror attack since 2008, with 26 civilians killed near Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir. India has blamed Pakistan-based terrorists and retaliated with diplomatic sanctions, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and closure of the Attari checkpost.

The SIPRI report illustrates a world arming itself at an unprecedented pace, with South Asia once again emerging as a flashpoint in global security dynamics.

In a concerning development, reports have emerged that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is attempting to contact children of Indian Armed Forces personnel—commonly referred to as Fauji kids—to gather sensitive information related to Army movements and deployments, particularly in border areas.

The Modus Operandi

The ISI operatives are reportedly posing as friendly Indian individuals or officials while making calls to military cantonments, stations, and even family quarters. By adopting a friendly or familiar tone, they attempt to gain the trust of young, unsuspecting children. Their aim is to subtly extract critical information regarding troop movements, logistics, equipment shifts, or operational activities near sensitive border regions.

These calls often seem casual, starting with general conversations, and slowly steering towards questions like:

• “Has your father/mother gone for a mission?”
• “Are there any tanks or convoys moving from your station?”
• “Have you seen any changes near the base?”

Why Target Children?

Children are naturally trusting and less likely to recognize the dangers of sharing seemingly harmless information. ISI’s strategy focuses on exploiting this innocence to bypass strict military security protocols that trained personnel usually adhere to.

Serious Threat to National Security

Even a small piece of leaked information can have a cascading effect, compromising operational secrecy, endangering soldiers’ lives, and providing tactical advantages to adversaries. Therefore, such espionage tactics targeting military families represent a grave threat to India’s national security.

Advisory for Fauji Families

In light of this situation, military authorities and family welfare organizations are urging all families living in and around military stations to:

• Educate children about the importance of operational secrecy.
• Instruct them never to disclose any information related to their parents’ duties, movements, or locations to outsiders, even if the caller seems familiar.
• Report any suspicious calls immediately to military authorities or nearest police stations.
• Avoid posting sensitive information or photographs related to Army activities on social media platforms.

Final Words

National security is a collective responsibility. Every piece of information—no matter how trivial it may seem—can be critical. As adversaries continue to innovate their espionage methods, heightened awareness and preventive education within Fauji families become the first line of defence.

On April 22, 2025, a horrific terrorist attack shattered the serene beauty of Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, leaving 26 dead and over 20 injured. The picturesque meadow, often called “mini Switzerland” for its lush greenery and snow-capped vistas, became a scene of chaos and carnage. Viral videos circulating on social media platforms, including X, have captured the chilling moments of the assault, showing terrified tourists running for their lives as gunshots echo in the background. These haunting visuals have sparked widespread outrage and grief across India and beyond.

The attack, one of the deadliest in the region since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, unfolded around 1:30 PM when five heavily armed militants, reportedly affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF)—an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—emerged from the dense pine forests surrounding Baisaran. The attackers, wielding M4 carbines and AK-47s, targeted male tourists, sparing women and children. Survivors and eyewitnesses reported that the terrorists demanded victims recite Islamic verses like the Kalma or prove their religion, executing those identified as non-Muslims, predominantly Hindus. One local Muslim, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, was killed while attempting to intervene.

A particularly harrowing video, shared widely on X, captures the initial moments of the attack. Filmed by a tourist strolling through the meadow, the footage begins with tranquil scenes of Baisaran’s beauty but is abruptly interrupted by gunfire and screams. The man recording can be heard saying, “A terrorist attack has taken place here… we escaped narrowly… God will protect us,” as he flees. Another clip, posted by multiple X users, shows people scrambling in panic, some collapsing after being shot, with no immediate rescue in sight. The footage underscores the attack’s brutality and the vulnerability of the remote location, accessible only by foot or pony, which delayed security forces’ response by at least 40 minutes.

Among the victims were a Navy officer, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, on his honeymoon just four days after his wedding, an Intelligence Bureau officer, Manish Ranjan, and a US-based TCS techie, Bitan Adhikari, vacationing with his family. Heart-wrenching accounts from survivors paint a grim picture. Asavari Jagdale from Pune recounted how her father was shot after failing to recite an Islamic verse. Pallavi from Karnataka, whose husband Manjunath Rao was killed, recalled a terrorist saying, “Go tell this to Modi,” sparing her life. Shubham Dwivedi, a newlywed from Kanpur, was executed after failing to recite the Kalma while eating Maggi with his wife.

The Resistance Front initially claimed responsibility, citing opposition to Indian policies allowing non-Kashmiris to settle in the region. However, they retracted the claim four days later, alleging a “communications breach” and accusing Indian intelligence of involvement—a move some reports suggest was influenced by Pakistan’s military leadership. Indian authorities have identified LeT commander Saifullah Kasuri as the mastermind, with sketches released of three suspects: Asif Fuji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha. Five terrorist-linked properties have since been demolished in retaliation.

The attack has escalated India-Pakistan tensions, prompting India to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, expel Pakistani diplomats, and close borders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his Saudi Arabia visit to chair a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, vowing severe punishment for the perpetrators. Protests erupted outside Pakistan’s High Commission in Delhi, with demands to designate Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism.

As the nation grieves, the viral videos serve as a stark reminder of the attack’s human toll. Images of a young woman cradling her dying husband and families mourning loved ones have become symbols of the tragedy. While security forces continue their manhunt in the sealed-off region, the scars left on Pahalgam’s idyllic meadows will linger, as will the calls for justice.