Pakistan's artillery stockpile could run dry in just 4 days of war

Pakistan’s current artillery ammunition reserves are estimated to last only four days in a full-scale war scenario, largely due to significant exports to Ukraine, reveals Indian assessment. Artillery guns, capable of striking targets up to 40 km away, play a critical role in modern warfare.

Indian security agencies have informed the government that Pakistan’s artillery ammunition shortage was discussed during a high-level meeting held in Rawalpindi on May 2.

Pakistan had international commitments, which were financially beneficial as it supplied artillery ammunition worth $364 million to Ukraine. Despite maintaining public neutrality in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Pakistan has supplied substantial quantities of artillery ammunition to Ukraine. These exports were facilitated by the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) in Wah Cantt, which has emerged as a key supplier to Ukraine via covert channels.

In early 2023, between February and March, Pakistan shipped 42,000 122mm rockets and 60,000 155mm howitzer shells. It also signed agreements with two US companies for additional ammunition supplies which were then sent to Ukraine. Pakistan’s arms exports surged to $415 million in the fiscal year 2022–23.

The POF — originally designed to prioritise domestic military needs — has struggled to replenish stockpiles due to outdated production facilities and growing global demand. As per the Indian assessment, at present, Pakistan’s artillery reserves could sustain for only 96 hours of high-intensity conflict.

This situation reflects a key lesson from the Ukraine war, where continuous artillery fire depleted stocks in weeks, exposing the fragility of underprepared militaries. Pakistan’s military doctrine, which relies on rapid mobilisation to counter India's numerical superiority, could be undermined by these shortfalls.