India plans to procure 1,000 Rafael SPICE air-to-surface missiles, marking a significant enhancement to its aerial strike capabilities. This acquisition underscores New Delhi's ongoing drive to bolster its arsenal with precision-guided munitions amid escalating regional tensions, Jerusalem Post reported .

The SPICE family stands out for its autonomous navigation and homing features, operating independently of GPS. It employs an electro-optical homing head integrated with an advanced mathematical algorithm that matches real-time imagery against pre-loaded target data, delivering hit accuracy within less than three metres.

Recent skirmishes with Pakistan in May 2025 have spotlighted India's urgent requirements for diverse weaponry, particularly from Israeli sources. This need materialised in early November when Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, Director General of Israel's Defence Ministry, signed a memorandum of understanding with his Indian counterpart, Rajesh Kumar Singh, to deepen security ties.

India ranks as the largest customer for Israeli defence exports, capturing approximately 34 per cent of total sales between 2020 and 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This dominance reflects longstanding collaboration in military technology transfers and joint developments.

Last month, reports revealed a discreet visit by an Indian Defence Ministry delegation to Israel. The trip aimed to finalise agreements for acquiring Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Air LORA ballistic missiles and Rafael's Ice Breaker cruise missiles, with provisions for local manufacturing in India.

Prior Indian reports had already signalled strong interest in Air LORA, buoyed by the proven efficacy of Rampage missiles during operations against Pakistan. The Indian Air Force integrates Rampage on Sukhoi Su-30MKI and MiG-29 platforms, praising its precision over ranges of 150 to 250 kilometres.

However, Rampage's operational envelope exposes Indian jets to threats from Chinese-manufactured Pakistani air defences. Air LORA addresses this vulnerability with an extended range of about 400 kilometres, enabling standoff strikes that keep aircraft beyond enemy radar horizons.

Developed at IAI's MLM division, Air LORA targets missile sites, military bases, and air defence networks. Weighing roughly 1,600 kilograms, it achieves supersonic speeds and relies on jam-resistant satellite navigation, supporting a true "fire-and-forget" profile.

Its versatile warheads adapt to soft targets or hardened bunkers, with a circular error probable of just ten metres. This capability positions Air LORA to neutralise any Pakistani installation from safe distances, reshaping India's tactical options in potential conflicts.

Complementing these, Rafael's Ice Breaker cruise missile offers 300-kilometre reach against terrestrial and maritime objectives. It excels in adverse weather and electronic warfare-saturated battlespaces, leveraging infrared imaging for navigation and AI-driven target acquisition and identification.

The SPICE procurement aligns with India's broader strategy to diversify precision munitions beyond GPS-dependent systems, mitigating vulnerabilities to jamming prevalent in South Asian theatres. Rafael's technology promises seamless integration with existing Indian Air Force assets like the Su-30MKI and TEJAS fighters.

This deal builds on a proven track record; India already fields thousands of SPICE-2000 and SPICE-1000 variants, validated in exercises and operations. The additional 1,000 units will amplify standoff precision strikes, crucial for suppressing enemy air defences in high-threat environments.

Israeli firms like Rafael and IAI have become pivotal partners in India's self-reliance push under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Local production clauses in recent pacts, including for Air LORA and Ice Breaker, facilitate technology transfer, skill enhancement, and indigenous manufacturing at facilities linked to HAL and private players like Tata Advanced Systems.

Geopolitically, these acquisitions counterbalance China's military aid to Pakistan, including HQ-9 and LY-80 systems that challenge Indian incursions. Enhanced missile ranges extend India's deep-strike potential into Pakistani heartlands, deterring adventurism along the Line of Control.

Economically, the contracts inject vitality into Israel's defence sector while fuelling India's ecosystem. SIPRI data highlights how such ties have propelled Israeli exports, with India absorbing systems from Barak-8 naval missiles to Heron drones.

Operationally, SPICE's electro-optical guidance thrives in GPS-denied scenarios, a lesson reinforced by global conflicts like Ukraine. Its real-time image correlation ensures reliability against decoys or relocated targets, vital for dynamic battlefields.

Air LORA's supersonic dash and anti-jam features further India's hypersonic ambitions, complementing DRDO's indigenous efforts like the HSTDV. Ice Breaker's AI seeker previews autonomous swarming tactics, aligning with New Delhi's investments in UAVs and loitering munitions.

As production ramps up, Indian squadrons gain multi-domain supremacy, blending Israeli precision with homegrown platforms. This infusion not only plugs capability gaps but fortifies deterrence against dual-front threats from Pakistan and China.

The SPICE order, alongside Air LORA and Ice Breaker pursuits, cements Indo-Israeli defence synergy, equipping India for 21st-century warfare with unmatched accuracy and reach.

Based On JP Report