India and France are set to ink a major deal for a large batch of SCALP cruise missiles, proven effective when the Indian Air Force used them last year in May during Operation Sindoor to obliterate Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist bases inside Pakistan.
The Indian Air Force is ordering a significant number of SCALP cruise missiles from France, with discussions underway and a decision expected soon, defence officials told ANI.
Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets launched SCALP missiles alongside BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles during last year’s Operation Sindoor, completely destroying terrorist headquarters in Pakistan’s Muridke and Bahawalpur districts with pinpoint accuracy, officials said.
The Indian Air Force will deploy SCALP cruise missiles with its Rafale aircraft fleet.
Following their successful use in destroying terrorist headquarters in Pakistan on the night of May 6-7, the Air Force employed them extensively again to strike Pakistan Air Force bases.
The Indian Air Force struck 12 major Pakistan Air Force bases during Operation Sindoor, destroying numerous high-value targets, including fighter jets and spy planes on the ground.
The IAF is also procuring a large number of Meteor air-to-air missiles for its Rafale fleet.
The missile will also integrate into the 26 Rafale Marine fighters ordered for the Indian Navy, slated to arrive over the next three to four years.
Buoyed by the Rafale jets’ performance in Operation Sindoor amid rising regional threats, the Indian Air Force plans to order another 114 Rafale combat aircraft, a proposal likely to gain Defence Acquisition Council approval in the coming days.
The Rafale is poised to become the Indian Air Force’s mainstay over the coming years, with its fleet projected to reach around 200 aircraft within the next 10-15 years.
This procurement underscores India’s drive to bolster standoff strike capabilities against terror and adversarial air forces.
Amid tensions with Pakistan and China, enhancing Rafale armaments signals a proactive defence posture. The Franco-Indian pact, including tech transfers, strengthens bilateral ties forged in recent conflicts.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
