China has a larger economy ($17.9 trillion GDP vs India's $3.7 trillion) and significantly higher defense spending ($313.7 billion vs $86.1 billion), but India is projected by JPMorgan to lead Asia's growth in 2026 due to demographic advantages and stronger long-term investment positioning.
China vs India — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
One-party socialist state with world's second-largest economy, dominant manufacturing sector, and 1.4 billion population.
World's 3rd-largest economy with $4.15 trillion GDP and fastest growth among major economies
GDP (2024). Defense Spending (2024). Government Health Expenditure (2023). Education Expenditure per Capita (2023). Population (2024). GDP Growth Rate (2024-2025). Long-term Investment Outlook (2026)
China remains the larger economy with superior military and healthcare infrastructure, but India is positioned for faster growth and stronger long-term investment returns. Choose China for established economic scale and geopolitical influence; choose India for growth potential and demographic advantages that JPMorgan identifies as critical for leading Asia's 2026 expansion.
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $35.0+ trillion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.7% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 14.77% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1.0x (baseline) | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 70% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 35% | Republic of India: N/A
Combined Global Economic Share (Nominal)
People's Republic of China: 42.46% (combined US-China) | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $14,100 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 15.2% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 80%+ | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: €467 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 94% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $45.78 trillion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $15,000 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.5-4.8% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.6–4.8% | Republic of India: N/A
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Production
People's Republic of China: ~4.0% (estimated) | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $17.9 trillion | Republic of India: $3.7 trillion
People's Republic of China: 4.8% | Republic of India: 6.2%
People's Republic of China: 38.4 years | Republic of India: 27.6 years
People's Republic of China: $313.7 billion | Republic of India: $86.1 billion
People's Republic of China: €469 | Republic of India: €89
JPMorgan Growth Leadership Outlook (2026)
People's Republic of China: Secondary | Republic of India: Primary Leader
People's Republic of China: $18.74T | Republic of India: $4.15T
People's Republic of China: 5.0-5.3% | Republic of India: 6.0-7.2%
People's Republic of China: $6,240,157.8M | Republic of India: $1,101,093.0M
People's Republic of China: 32.94% | Republic of India: 29.28%
People's Republic of China: €299,621.7M | Republic of India: €78,938.4M
People's Republic of China: $620,062.8M | Republic of India: $47,526.0M
People's Republic of China: €11,242 | Republic of India: €2,049
People's Republic of China: $17.99 trillion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $12,720 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 28% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $7.8T | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $296 billion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 2.1% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 45,000 km | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,500,000 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 8 universities | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $189 billion (2023) | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 77.9 years | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,854 GW | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 2.1 physicians | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $12,720 | Republic of India: $2,592
People's Republic of China: $292 billion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,200 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $17.8 trillion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,426 million | Republic of India: 1.46 billion
People's Republic of China: 22% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 12.3 billion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $4.7 trillion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,050 million | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 2nd | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $23.8T | Republic of India: N/A
Average Annual GDP Growth Rate (2024-2026)
People's Republic of China: 4.75% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $17,000 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 920M | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 5G, renewables, EVs | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 63% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,570,000 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 12.3% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 28% of global | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $3.27 trillion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,700,000 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 4.2% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 16.4% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $163 billion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 2.7% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 77% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $296B | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 76% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $17.8T | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 1,430M | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 0.796 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 78.2 | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: $612 billion | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 392 robots per 10k workers | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 60% | Republic of India: N/A
People's Republic of China: 738,000 | Republic of India: N/A
How to choose between People's Republic of China and Republic of India
Compare People's Republic of China vs Republic of India
China vs India — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for China vs India. Contains 95 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
China vs India — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for China vs India.
China has a significantly larger nominal GDP at $17.9 trillion compared to India's $3.7 trillion as of 2024. However, India is growing faster at 6.2% annual growth versus China's 4.8%, meaning India is narrowing the gap.
China spends $313.7 billion annually on defense—approximately 3.6 times more than India's $86.1 billion defense budget. This makes China the second-largest military spender globally after the United States.
Why does JPMorgan project India to lead Asia's growth in 2026?
JPMorgan cites India's younger population (median age 27.6 vs China's 38.4), faster economic growth rate (6.2% vs 4.8%), and stronger long-term investment fundamentals. India's demographic dividend provides a growing workforce and consumer base, while China faces aging population challenges.
How much does each country spend on healthcare?
China allocates $620.1 billion annually to government health expenditure (2023), while India spends $47.5 billion—a 13x difference. Despite lower absolute spending, India's healthcare sector is rapidly expanding with improved accessibility in rural areas.
Which country invests more in education per person?
China spends €469 per capita on education compared to India's €89 (2023 data), representing a 5.3x difference. This reflects China's higher development stage, though India is increasing education budgets to support its young workforce.
How to Choose Between People's Republic of China and Republic of India
GDP (2024): People's Republic of China has $17.9 trillion, while Republic of India has $3.7 trillion.
Defense Spending (2024): People's Republic of China has $313.7 billion, while Republic of India has $86.1 billion.
Consider: Government Health Expenditure (2023)
Government Health Expenditure (2023): People's Republic of China has $620.1 billion, while Republic of India has $47.5 billion.
Consider: Education Expenditure per Capita (2023)
Education Expenditure per Capita (2023): People's Republic of China has €469, while Republic of India has €89.
Population (2024): People's Republic of China has 1.42 billion, while Republic of India has 1.46 billion.
GDP Growth Rate (2024-2025): People's Republic of China has 4.8%, while Republic of India has 6.2%.
Consider: Long-term Investment Outlook (2026)
Long-term Investment Outlook (2026): People's Republic of China has Moderate, while Republic of India has Strong Leader.