The induction of Rafale fighter jets armed with SCALP cruise missiles has significantly enhanced India’s strike capability against Pakistan, marking a substantial leap in both deterrence and operational reach.

Stationed at the Ambala and Hashimara air bases, the 36 Rafales acquired from France between 2020 and 2023 are equipped with advanced weaponry, including the SCALP air-launched cruise missile and the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile.

The SCALP missile, with a range of approximately 560 km and a 450 kg bunker-penetrating warhead, allows the Indian Air Force (IAF) to strike high-value, hardened targets deep inside Pakistani territory-such as command centres or terror infrastructure-without crossing the border or exposing aircraft to enemy air defences. Its low-altitude, terrain-hugging flight profile and stealthy design make it exceptionally difficult for Pakistani radars and surface-to-air missile systems to detect or intercept, ensuring a high probability of mission success.

This capability represents a marked improvement over the 2019 Balakot airstrike, which relied on Mirage-2000s with shorter-range munitions and required Indian jets to briefly enter Pakistani airspace, exposing them to retaliation.

Now, Rafales can launch SCALP missiles from deep within Indian airspace, minimizing risk to pilots and aircraft while maximizing strategic impact. In addition, the Rafale’s integration with cutting-edge radars, electronic warfare suites, and the Meteor missile-capable of engaging enemy aircraft at ranges exceeding 150 km-provides India with air superiority over Pakistan’s F-16s and JF-17s, further deterring any aerial response.

Strategic analysts note that India’s current Rafale fleet, each potentially armed with SCALP and Meteor missiles, gives the IAF the ability to simultaneously strike dozens of ground targets and hold off the entire Pakistani F-16 fleet at standoff ranges, fundamentally altering the regional balance of power.

The psychological and strategic effect of this capability is profound. Pakistan’s air defence network, already challenged by India’s supersonic BrahMos missiles, now faces the additional threat of stealthy, precision SCALP strikes that can target critical infrastructure with little warning.

This dual arsenal-BrahMos for rapid, overwhelming strikes and SCALP for stealthy, surgical attacks-creates a layered and flexible deterrence posture for India.

The presence of Rafales with SCALP missiles not only strengthens India’s ability to conduct punitive strikes in response to terror attacks but also serves as a powerful deterrent, reducing the likelihood of escalation by raising the costs and risks for any adversary contemplating aggression.

As India continues to modernize its air force and integrate network-centric warfare doctrines, the Rafale-SCALP combination stands at the forefront of its strategy to maintain credible deterrence and operational superiority over Pakistan.

Agencies