October 30, 2025

India and Pakistan may live side by side, but when it comes to the quality of life, they seem worlds apart! According to the World Bank data of 2023, Indians enjoy life five years longer than Pakistanis. As shared by Prof. Shamika Ravi, economist and a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, "life expectancy at birth in India stands at 72 years, compared with 67.65 years in Pakistan." This shining difference shows how India is racing ahead in many areas. The World Bank recently noted that Pakistan's economy grew by just 3% in the fiscal year 2025 (FY25), and this slow pace is expected to continue next year. On the flip side, India’s economy is catching fire! The global body has raised India's economic growth forecast for FY26 to 6.5% from 6.3%, making India the world's fastest-growing major economy with strong consumer support. But what’s dragging Pakistan down? The story is rough. Once South Asia’s richest country 50 years ago, Pakistan fell into deep trouble due to bad governance, military rule, and shocking policies like promoting cross-border terror. Pakistan’s $350 billion economy hit a storm with soaring inflation reaching a jaw-dropping 38.50% in May 2023. Growth turned negative, foreign reserves shrank to just weeks of imports, and interest rates shot up to 22%! The country had a precarious $3.7 billion left in reserves. To make matters worse, Pakistan was on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list for almost five years, making foreign loans very difficult to get. By summer 2023, the economic crisis became the longest and deepest ever, nearly pushing Pakistan into sovereign default. With the debt-to-GDP ratio dangerously close to 70%, and up to half of its government income going just to pay interest, Pakistan’s woes matched only a few struggling nations like Sri Lanka, Ghana, and Nigeria. The hero saving the day was a $3 billion short-term bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Plus, allies like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and China came forward to roll over billions in loans, helping Pakistan stay afloat—for now. So, while India marches on with stronger growth and a healthier population, Pakistan wrestles with tough challenges ahead. Will the neighbour turn things around? Only time will tell, but the contrast is sharp and striking today.

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Tags: India pakistan comparison, Life expectancy, Economic growth, Pakistan economy, Imf bailout, World bank data,