This is hyperbole. The IN is also acquiring scorpenes (in greater numbers than the Pakistani Agostas), has Club-S armed upgraded Kilos. If & when the PN does acquire a handful of Marlins, India will choose a better design for itself.

As regards Pakistans neighbours outspending it in terms of military, in terms of proportion (%) GDP Pak spends more than India, which despite being a much larger nation spends its money more wisely and has a sustainable economic program.

I a, not saying who is right and who is wrong. Thats your own value jusgement. I just pointed out a simple fact. Pakistan is sandwiched between two neighbours who spend much more (as a gross total) on defence thne Pakistan does. With regards to spending more on social development, I agree, in an ideal world Pakistan would spend all its money on social/education/helath prgrammes. However, as your aware, we dont live in an ideal world.

Only now, when funds are less of a problem has the PN directed its attention to the surface and aviation fields. When it was crunch time, during the mid 90s and early 2000, the PN threw most of what it could at the subs, at the expence of the surface fleet.

Hindsight being 20/20, that was the exact right decision. The PN had very meager resources compared to the PA and PAF and decided to use those resources towards the only credible threat they could mount against the IN: the subs.

With more funds available, the PN can now bring the capability up fleet wide but the years of neglect to the surface and aviation arms will be felt till the F22s and the Orions are inducted.

2 P-3Cs are due to be delivered next month. I think we have two in service already and these were updated by LM. Contract says we should have all 10 operational by end of 2007.

PN always had money for Orions, it was the US sanctions that were the problem there, not the cash.

In the case of surface fleet, your completley right

Yes, but that is paying for a large army, a mediocre air force, a navy composed of speedboats full of machine gun and RPG wielding Revolutionary Guard and three Kilos.

Oh yes, and lots of money going into missile and nuclear arms technology.

Unicorn

I dont want to go into politics or what they spend their money on. My point is both of Pakistans neighbours (one nuke armed and the other on the verge of being nuked armed), both spend more on defence. You mentioned we spend alot. The best thing would be to spend on butter, nit guns. However, as shown, both of Pakistans neighbours outspend it on in terms of the military.

What Pakistan has done with such a small defence budget, and signficiant amounts of US and Chinese aid is quite remarkable. The most modern sub fleet in the Gulf/Indian Ocean (obviously barring USN),with anotehr 6 of a new design is quite remarkable.