Published 20:00 IST, August 13th 2024
India Vs Pakistan: How Two Nations Have Chartered Different Destinies 78 Years Post Independence
Ahead of 78th Independence Day, let's take a look at how India has outperformed Pakistan in almost every sector as both nations got independence in same year.
New Delhi: India and Pakistan will both celebrate their 78th Independence Day on August 15 and August 14 respectively. The two countries have come a long way dealing through their own challenges in the aftermath of the British rule several decades ago. To say the least, both the nations who got independence in the same year and month, India has turned out to be a shining example of a successful democracy while Pakistan, a so-called democracy, remained largely unstable due to continuous political unrest and harbouring terrorism.
Now ahead of the 78th Independence Day, let's compare the two nations on real factors and assessing how far and better India and Pakistan have emerged. Let's take a look key building blocks that defines how successful both the countries journey has been over the years.
ECONOMY
India
With $3.937 trillion, India is currently world's 5th largest economy and is projected to become the third largest very soon overtaking Japan and Germany. In 2024, India's GDP will reach $4 trillion, which will put us on par with Japan in terms of economic size.
India is currently growing at 6.5–7 per cent.
With $374,90 billion, Pakistan is world's 46th largest economy, having an annual growth rate of 2.38 per cent.
PER CAPITA INCOME
India
As India approaches its 100th year of independence in 2047, the country’s per capita income is projected to reach Rs 14.9 lakh, according to a presentation made by Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran.
According to V Anantha Nageswaran, the per capita income is currently Rs 2.12 lakh in 2023-24. In dollar terms, it is at $2,500. This figure represents more than a doubling of per capita income over the past decade, highlighting the country’s rapid economic growth.
INFRASTRUCTURE
India
India has taken a big leap in infrastructure building including mega expressways, greenfield corridors, the Bharatmala projects.
At present, at least 15 Indian cities have an active metro rail service and an operational metro map. These includ: Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Gurugram, Mumbai, Noida, Kochi, Lucknow, Nagpur, Kanpur, and Pune.
India also has an operation first Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) between Sahibabad and Duhai - part of New Delhi-Meerut high speed rail transit system.
Another milestone for India in modernising public transport are the indigenously developed Vande Bharat trains and upcoming Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project.
Not much has been done in Pakistan in terms of infrastructure building with only one city having an operational metro train syste.
Forex Reserves
India
In 1960s, India's Forex reserves stood at $ 0.67 billion and by 2024, they now stands at $674.919 billion.
In 1960s, Pakistan's forex reserves stood at $ 0.32 but haven't grown much and didn't even cross the double digit as far as the progress is concerned. In 2024, Pakistan's forex reserves stands at $ 8.21 billion.
INFLATION
India
All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) number is 3.54% (Provisional) for the month of July, 2024 while the corresponding inflation rate for rural and urban is 4.10% and 2.98% ,respectively.
In 2024, the inflation rate in Pakistan is one of the highest in the world and stands at 24.8%. Pakistan inflation rate for 2022 was 19.87%, a 10.38% increase from 2021.
DEFENCE
INDIA
With 12.9% share of India's budget goes to defence, the country has allocated a whopping Rs 6.219 trillion, or approximately $74.3 billion for defence expenditure.
PAKISTAN
LITERACY RATE
India
India has an overall literacy rate of 74% with 65.8% educated females and 82.4% literate males.
The overall literacy rate in Pakistan is 58% out of which 46.5% are female and 69.3% male.
UNEMPLOYMENT
India
Though, as per the latest available Annual PLFS Reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for persons of age 15 years and above was 4.2%, 4.1% and 3.2% during 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively. The data indicates that the unemployment rate in the country has a declining trend over the years.
However, in 2024, India's unemployment rate stays at 8.5 percent. This figure stands in a post-Covid era when businesses, jobs faced a massive setback across the world.
The unemployment rate in Pakistan is forecast to be 8% in 2024. The unemployed people in Pakistan is forecast to 6.61 million in 2024.
POVERTY
India
According to research by the State Bank of India, released in February 2024, the poverty rate in the country fell to 4.5-5% in 2022-23. The rural poverty declined to 7.2% and urban poverty down to 4.6%. This decline is attributed to government programmes targeted at those at the bottom of the pyramid.
According to the World Bank, the poverty rate in Pakistan is likely to remain somewhere around 40% through the financial year 2024–2026.
GLOBAL DOMINATION
India
As of 2024, India has evolved as a major regional power in Asia and an emerging global one where its presence and opinion now matters the most. India's voice is heard, is emerging as a major investment, manufacturing hub. India's geopolitics play and diplomacy has earned the country a respectful place globally.
Harbouring terrorism for years, failed economy and as a nation in totality, Pakistan has emerged as a failed idea, unstable political regime, making it a cash-strapped country dependent on foreign aide from global institutions 78 years after the Independence.
Updated 00:44 IST, August 15th 2024