What Is The SCALP Cruise Missile? India Eyeing €300 Million Deal With France After Operation Sindoor

India is moving closer to finalising a major defence procurement with France for additional SCALP cruise missiles, a weapon that played a decisive role in last year’s cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor. Defence officials have confirmed that discussions are underway for a significant purchase, with the deal value estimated at around €300 million.The move comes after the Indian Air Force used SCALP missiles to destroy terror headquarters belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan’s Muridke and Bahawalpur regions. Launched from Rafale fighter jets, the missiles reportedly achieved pinpoint accuracy, flattening hardened structures without collateral damage.According to defence sources, the SCALP missiles were deployed

alongside BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, forming a layered precision strike package that overwhelmed enemy defences. The success of these strikes has reinforced the Indian Air Force’s assessment that long-range stand-off weapons are central to future combat doctrine.

What Is The SCALP Cruise Missile?

SCALP, also known as Storm Shadow, is an air-launched, long-range, conventionally armed cruise missile developed by MBDA. Designed for deep-strike missions, the missile is capable of engaging high-value, fixed targets such as hardened bunkers, command centres, and critical infrastructure.The weapon is compatible with multiple aircraft platforms, including Rafale, Mirage 2000, Eurofighter Typhoon and Tornado jets. Operable day and night in all weather conditions, SCALP gives air forces the ability to strike heavily defended targets without entering hostile airspace.Its range is assessed to be in excess of 250 kilometres, allowing launch aircraft to remain well outside enemy air defence envelopes.

How SCALP Achieves Precision

SCALP’s accuracy is driven by a sophisticated navigation and guidance suite that combines inertial navigation systems, GPS, and terrain-referencing technology. After launch, the missile descends to extremely low altitudes, hugging the terrain to evade radar detection.In the terminal phase, an onboard infrared seeker compares the target with pre-loaded reference imagery, ensuring a high-confidence hit. This design allows the missile to penetrate hardened targets while keeping collateral damage to a minimum, a feature highlighted during Operation Sindoor.Defence analysts note that this capability makes SCALP particularly effective against terror infrastructure embedded within civilian areas, where precision is operationally and politically critical.

Why India Is Expanding Its SCALP Stock

Following Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force reportedly used SCALP missiles again to strike multiple Pakistan Air Force bases, damaging runways, hangars, and high-value assets, including aircraft on the ground. Officials say these strikes further validated the missile’s effectiveness against military infrastructure.With threat perceptions rising along India’s western front, the IAF is now focused on replenishing and expanding its stand-off weapon inventory. Alongside SCALP, India is also moving to acquire a large number of Meteor air-to-air missiles for its Rafale fleet.The Meteor missile will also be integrated into the 26 Rafale Marine fighters ordered for the Indian Navy, deliveries of which are expected over the next three to four years.

Rafale As IAF’s Mainstay

The SCALP acquisition is part of a broader push to consolidate Rafale as the backbone of India’s air combat capability. Defence sources indicate that the government is preparing to clear an order for 114 additional Rafale aircraft, a decision expected to be taken by the Defence Acquisition Council soon.If approved, the Indian Air Force’s Rafale strength could approach 200 aircraft over the next decade, significantly enhancing its deep-strike, air dominance, and nuclear deterrence roles.As India and France deepen their strategic defence partnership, the proposed SCALP deal underscores how combat-proven performance is now shaping procurement decisions. For New Delhi, the missile is no longer just a capability on paper—it is a weapon tested in combat, with strategic consequences for regional deterrence.