Does Taliban have strong military? How will they respond to Pakistani air strikes? India will…
New Delhi: On October 9, Pakistan carried out airstrikes on the Afghan capital, Kabul, and other cities. These attacks targeted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) bases. The Taliban government has not yet issued an official statement, but questions are being raised: Does the Taliban have air defence? What is it doing with the weapons left by the USA? Will Pakistan be able to attack Afghanistan if India provides air defence?
Does Taliban have strong military?
No, the Taliban do not have modern and strong military. Afghanistan’s military ranking in Global Firepower 2025 is 118. There are some old MiG-21 and Su-22 fighter bombers, dating back to the 1990s. But most are in poor condition and lack maintenance.
Missile systems are also basic, with no advanced ballistic or air-to-air missiles. The Taliban relies mostly on ground forces, with limited air power. They are requesting air defence systems like the Russian Tor-M2, but have not yet received them.
How will Taliban respond to Pakistani attack?
The Taliban has remained silent for now. This was the first Pakistani attack on Kabul, which occurred during Taliban FM Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to Delhi. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned the Taliban not to harbour the TTP. However, the Taliban could retaliate, as they did in 2024.
The Taliban then attacked several locations in Pakistan. However, responding to airstrikes was difficult because the Taliban lack a strong air force. They will likely respond with ground attacks or diplomacy. Experts say this will escalate the tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, but the Taliban are not ready to give up.
Does the Taliban have an air defence system?
No, the Taliban’s air defence is very weak. They have anti-aircraft cannons like the old ZPU, dating back to the 1960s. These can stop small drones or helicopters, but not Pakistani fighter jets or missiles. The reason for this inability to stop the attack is the lack of radar or modern systems.
The Taliban has been trying to increase anti-aircraft capabilities since 2023 but did not receive help from Russia or Iran. This problem persisted in 2025. Therefore, Pakistani jets easily reached Kabul.
What is Taliban doing with weapons left behind by US?
$7 billion worth of weapons were left behind during the US withdrawal in 2021 – helicopters, Humvee vehicles, M4 rifles, and grenade launchers. The Taliban are using these, but there are maintenance problems. More than half of the weapons were destroyed or sold in 2025. 500,000 weapons are missing and sold to insurgent groups.
US President Donald Trump demanded their return, but the Taliban refused. The Taliban are using them in their military; patrolling by Humvee and transporting by helicopter, but this is not sufficient for air defence.
Will India help Afghanistan?
India has not yet disclosed any such plans. However, if India provides systems like the S-400 or Akash, a Pakistani attack would be difficult. India maintains distance from the Taliban but wants stability in Afghanistan. Also, major powers like India, Russia, and China will resist the USA from taking back the Bagram air base.
Hence, with India’s help, the Taliban can protect their country from Pakistani air attacks to some extent, while a dedicated air defence system would require huge logistics and understanding of the region’s politics and diplomatic efforts.
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