NEW DELHI: India and France are moving closer to a major defence deal worth around 300 million euros for the procurement of SCALP long-range cruise missiles, following their operational use by the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor last year.A significant number of SCALP cruise missiles are being ordered by the Indian Air Force from France, and discussions are currently underway. A decision on the deal is expected soon, defence officials told ANI.

The SCALP missiles were fired from Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor to strike terrorist headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan’s Muridke and Bahawalpur districts. The missiles were used alongside BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, with officials saying the targets were destroyed with pinpoint accuracy.After the initial strikes on the night of May 6-7, the Air Force used cruise missiles again to target Pakistan Air Force bases. According to officials, the Indian Air Force hit 12 major air bases and destroyed multiple high-value targets, including fighter jets and surveillance aircraft on the ground.Operation Sindoor marked India’s most extensive cross-border precision strike since the Balakot operation of 2019. The operation was launched in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians, including a serving Indian Navy officer and a Nepali national, were killed. Also read – HAMMER & SCALP: Weapons India used to target terror sites in Pakistan, PoK under Operation SindoorDuring the operation, India deployed a mix of high-precision weapons, including SCALP cruise missiles, HAMMER precision-guided bombs, and loitering munitions. The SCALP, also known as Storm Shadow, is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile with a strike range of over 250 kilometres, designed for deep-penetration attacks. The HAMMER bomb was used to destroy hardened structures such as bunkers and multi-storey buildings, while loitering munitions were employed for surveillance and terminal strike roles.Nine terror-linked sites were struck during the operation, four in mainland Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Ministry of Defence said no Pakistani military installations were targeted and that all locations were verified as operational centres of banned terrorist groups.In parallel with the SCALP procurement, the Indian Air Force is also in the process of ordering a large number of Meteor air-to-air missiles for its Rafale fleet. These missiles will also be integrated with the 26 Rafale Marine fighters ordered for the Indian Navy, which are expected to be inducted over the next three to four years.Following the performance of Rafale aircraft during Operation Sindoor and rising threat perceptions in the region, the Air Force is also preparing to place an order for 114 additional Rafale combat aircraft. The proposal is expected to be taken up by the Defence Acquisition Council in the coming days.With these inductions, the Rafale is set to become the mainstay of the Indian Air Force, with its fleet strength projected to reach around 200 aircraft over the next 10 to 15 years.What are SCALP missilesSCALP, also known as Storm Shadow, is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile designed for deep-precision strikes against high-value and heavily defended targets. The name SCALP stands for Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée, reflecting its autonomous long-range strike capability. With a range of over 250 kilometres, the missile is equipped with a combination of inertial navigation, GPS, terrain-reference navigation, and an infrared imaging seeker in the terminal phase, enabling pinpoint accuracy.Its low-observable design allows it to fly at very low altitudes to evade radar detection, while its penetration warhead is capable of destroying hardened targets such as bunkers, command centres, air bases, and ammunition depots. Operated by several countries including France, the UK, Italy, Greece, and India, the SCALP missile is integrated with the Indian Air Force’s Rafale fighter jets, providing a stand-off strike capability that allows aircraft to hit strategic targets deep inside enemy territory without entering heavily defended airspace.