Pakistan has just 96 hours of artillery ammo left, says report as India-Pakistan tensions flare up

Pakistan’s military is reportedly grappling with a severe shortage of artillery ammunition, raising serious questions about its ability to sustain even a short-term conflict.

The latest report by news agency ANI comes amid rising tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Pakistan currently has enough artillery ammunition to support just 96 hours of high-intensity combat, it has been learnt from the report, raising an alarm within the country’s military establishment, with the issue reportedly dominating discussions at a Special Corps Commanders Conference held on May 2.

The shortage is being attributed primarily to Pakistan’s recent arms exports to Ukraine, particularly 155mm artillery shells, amid surging global demand. While these deals look financially lucrative, they have reportedly drained Pakistan’s strategic reserves, leaving its M109 howitzers and BM-21 rocket systems significantly understocked.

Moreover, efforts to replenish the stockpile have been hampered by the limited capacity of Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), the country’s chief munitions producer. As per sources cited in the report, outdated infrastructure and sluggish production rates have prevented the POF from meeting even domestic demands, despite claims of prioritizing the Pakistan Army's needs.

“The pursuit of short-term economic gain has inflicted a long-term strategic wound,” a senior defense analyst told ANI, describing Pakistan’s decision to export crucial ammunition while failing to secure its own reserves as a major strategic misstep.

The situation is further complicated by Pakistan’s lingering economic crisis, marked by soaring inflation, shrinking foreign reserves, and mounting debt. These constraints have forced the military to scale back training exercises, reduce rations, and revoke planned war games due to fuel shortages, the report states.

In anticipation of potential conflict, intelligence reports indicate that Pakistan has begun constructing new ammunition depots near the Indian border. Analysts, however, argue that without adequate stockpiles to fill them, the strategic benefit of these measures remains negligible.

The revelations come amid a deepening diplomatic and trade standoff between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists. India has blamed Pakistan-based terror groups for orchestrating the attack and launched a slew of retaliatory measures.

These include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down the Integrated Check Post at Attari, slashing diplomatic staff in both countries, revoking all Pakistani visas, and closing Indian airspace to Pakistani carriers.

In response, Pakistan has announced a ban on Indian-flagged vessels from docking at its ports, a tit-for-tat move that came just hours after India imposed a similar restriction on Pakistani ships and suspended all imports from the neighbouring country.

The maritime standoff adds to the growing list of flashpoints between the two nuclear-armed nations, further complicating efforts at de-escalation.