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India and France are close to finalising a major defence agreement worth nearly ₹3,200 crore (around €300 million) for additional SCALP long-range cruise missiles. These advanced weapons, also known as Storm Shadow, were successfully deployed by the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor in May 2025, marking a major leap in India’s precision strike capability. Operation Sindoor was launched after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April 2025 in Jammu & Kashmir, where 26 civilians lost their lives, including an Indian Navy officer and a Nepali citizen. It became India’s largest cross-border strike since the 2019 Balakot Airstrike. During the operation, SCALP missiles were fired from Rafale fighter jets to hit terror infrastructure linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba in Muridke and Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The missiles demonstrated pinpoint accuracy, destroying hardened bunkers, command centres and logistics hubs. Following the initial precision strikes, the Indian Air Force targeted 12 Pakistan Air Force bases, neutralising fighter aircraft and surveillance platforms on the ground. India also deployed BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, HAMMER precision-guided bombs, and loitering munitions for real-time surveillance and terminal strikes. In total, nine terror-linked sites were hit — four in mainland Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Ministry of Defence clarified that only verified terror centres were targeted, not Pakistani military installations. The SCALP missile (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée) is an air-launched cruise missile with a range exceeding 250 km. It offers stand-off strike capability, allowing aircraft to engage targets without entering hostile airspace. Flying at extremely low altitude to evade radar, SCALP uses GPS, inertial navigation and an infrared seeker for deep-penetration missions against bunkers, air bases and ammunition depots. Countries operating SCALP include France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Greece and India. In India, it is fully integrated with Rafale aircraft. Looking ahead, the Indian Air Force plans to induct Meteor air-to-air missiles for Rafale jets. The Indian Navy has already ordered 26 Rafale Marine aircraft, while the Air Force is evaluating procurement of 114 additional Rafales. Over the next 10–15 years, India could operate nearly 200 Rafale jets, making the platform the backbone of IAF air power. This deal highlights India’s growing focus on high-precision warfare, deep-strike capability and strategic deterrence in an increasingly complex regional security environment. #IndiaFranceDeal #SCALPMissile #OperationSindoor #IndianAirForce #RafaleJets #DefenceNews #UPSCCurrentAffairs #ModernWarfare #StrategicStrike #vajiraoandreddyiasinstitute