India's arsenal includes 9,743 pieces of artillery against Pakistan's 4,619 pieces, and 3,740 main battle tanks compared to Pakistan's 2,537. While India has 730 combat-capable aircraft, Pakistan's fleet is much smaller at 452 aircraft.

Asif said India's rhetoric was intensifying and Pakistan's military had briefed the government on the possibility of an attack.

The Indian military says Pakistani soldiers fired at Indian posts all along the highly militarized frontier in disputed Kashmir as tensions flare over attack on tourists.