If India wages a 4-week war against Pakistan and its proxy supporters, how much will it cost?

A data-backed look at India’s wars from 1962 to 2025 — and what a modern 4-week conflict with Pakistan could cost in crores, casualties, and economic impact

Team PGurus

November 12, 2025

From 1962 to Operation Sindoor: How much has war cost India?

The Cost of Conflict: India’s Wars (1962 – 2025)

This document provides a factual breakdown of the human and economic costs incurred by India during its major military conflicts, including a forward-looking analysis of a hypothetical 2025 conflict based on expert projections. Read till the end to know the costs of a 4-week conflict with Pakistan and its silent backers…

1. Sino-Indian War (1962)

The brief but intense border war with China in 1962 resulted in a strategic loss for India and a profound shift in its defense policy.

2. Indo-Pakistani War (1965)

This 17-day war was characterized by large-scale armored engagements and ended in a stalemate, formalized by the Tashkent Declaration.

3. Indo-Pakistani War (1971)

The war, fueled by the Bangladesh Liberation War, was a decisive military victory for India, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.

4. Kargil War (1999)

A high-altitude, limited conflict fought in the Kargil district of Ladakh.

5. Hypothetical Conflict (2025)

Based on recent geopolitical analyses and estimates following tensions in 2025 (e.g., Operation Sindoor), the potential costs of a full-scale conventional war today would be significantly higher.

References

Britannica. “Sino-Indian War | Causes, Summary, & Casualties.”
Burkitt, L., Scobell, A., & Wortzel, L. M. (2003). The Chinese People’s Liberation Army at 75. Stanford University.
CIA Intelligence Memorandum. (1972). INDIA: SOME ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR. CIA-RDP85T00875R001700030032-2.
Daily Pioneer. (2025). “The high cost of war: Who really wins when young lives are lost?”
EBSCO. “Kargil War | Research Starters.”
Economic Times. (2015). “1965 war: When foot soldiers took on the mighty Pattons of Pakistan.”
Gateway House. “Lessons from the 1962 war report.”
NIH/PMC. (2025). “Death toll among the Bangladeshi refugees of the 1971 war.” A review of reported death tolls in several refugee camps in India.
All Indians Matter. (2025). “What would be the cost of war?”
Wikipedia. “Indo-Pakistani war of 1965,” “Indo-Pakistani war of 1971,” and “Kargil War.”
Wright Research. (2025). “The Economic Cost of War: Detailed report of India’s War Economy from Kargil to Operation Sindoor.”

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We are a team of focused individuals with expertise in at least one of the following fields viz. Journalism, Technology, Economics, Politics, Sports & Business. We are factual, accurate and unbiased.