India stands on the cusp of a major defence procurement from Israel, encompassing SPICE-1000 precision-guided bombs alongside potential acquisitions of Rampage, Air LORA, and Ice Breaker missiles for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The Defence Acquisition Council, under Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has greenlit an $8.7 billion package that includes air-to-air missiles, loitering munitions, radars, simulators, and networked command systems, with India emerging as Israel's largest defence export customer at 34% of sales from 2020 to 2024.

This deal underscores deepening Indo-Israeli ties amid regional threats, including advanced Chinese air defences along the LAC and Pakistani GPS jamming tactics observed in Operation Sindoor of May 2025.

Rampage missiles, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), already bolster the IAF and Indian Navy inventories, integrated with Su-30MKI, MiG-29, Jaguar, and MiG-29K platforms. Weighing 570 kg with a 4.7-metre length and 306 mm diameter, each unit employs GPS/INS guidance with anti-jamming features and a versatile Blast/Frag/Ground Penetration warhead.

Medium fighters can carry up to four, enabling salvo strikes from stand-off distances beyond enemy air defences, targeting airbases, control towers, bunkers, and logistics hubs; their proven efficacy shone in Operation Sindoor against Pakistani terror camps.

Air LORA represents an air-to-ground evolution of the ground-launched LORA, already operational with India via Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in collaboration with IAI's MLM Division. This deep stand-off air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) operates on fire-and-forget principles, striking missile sites, bases, and air defences up to 400-430 km away at supersonic speeds with a CEP under 10 metres. 

At 1,600 kg and 5.2 metres long, it reaches Mach 5, features blast fragmentation or penetration warheads, mission abort options, and seamless integration into any fighter via stand-alone or avionics setups.

Produced by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, Ice Breaker evolves from the Sea Breaker as a lightweight, multi-platform cruise missile under 400 kg and 4 metres long, with a 300 km low-altitude range.

It leverages an advanced all-weather electro-optical IIR seeker with scene-matching, Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), and AI for GNSS-denied environments, ensuring resilience against electronic warfare.

Very Low Observable (VLO) design, sea-skimming profiles, passive seekers, and salvo capabilities counter modern Integrated Air Defence Systems (IADS), hitting high-value land/sea targets including radars with minimal collateral via 250 lb warheads.

Full technology transfer agreements secured in late 2025 position BEL and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to indigenously produce Air LORA and Ice Breaker, incorporating DRDO expertise for self-reliance under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

HAL will handle Ice Breaker aircraft integration, drawing from Astra program lessons, while BEL manages electronics and guidance.

Valued within a $20 billion aerospace package, the initiative eyes Cabinet Committee on Security approval by mid-2026, paving the way for exports to Indo-Pacific allies.

These munitions excel in electronic warfare-saturated scenarios, with Rampage's anti-jam GPS/INS, Air LORA's quasi-ballistic unpredictability, and Ice Breaker's passive VLO stealth enabling all-weather, stand-off operations.

For the IAF, they enhance deep-strike deterrence against fortified adversaries, transforming platforms like Tejas into potent assets while minimising pilot risks. Joint production not only bolsters inventory but accelerates India's missile R&D, blending Israeli innovation with domestic capabilities.

Agencies