From Sudarshan to SCALP: Weapons India is Using to Retaliate, Hit Back, and Stop Pakistan’s Provocations

So, what are the high-precision weapons India is using to defend, retaliate, and dominate? Here's a look at the elite military hardware leading India’s charge.

As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, every time Pakistan provokes, India retaliates not just with force but with precision. Equipped with next-gen weaponry, India has turned the battlefield into a showcase of technological dominance. Whether it’s neutralizing terror camps with pinpoint cruise missiles or intercepting threats using world-class air defence systems, India’s strikes are faster, smarter, and more effective leaving Pakistan scrambling in response.

So, what are the high-precision weapons India is using to defend, retaliate, and dominate? Here’s a look at the elite military hardware leading India’s charge.

What weapons did India use?

1.SCALP Cruise Missile: One of the primary weapons used in Operation Sindoor was the SCALP cruise missile, also known internationally as Storm Shadow. Manufactured by European defence giant MBDA, SCALP is an air-launched, long-range missile designed to deliver high-precision strikes against fortified and high-value fixed targets.Weighing approximately 1,300 kilograms (2,870 pounds), SCALP allows the Indian Air Force to engage targets well within Pakistani territory without crossing into enemy airspace, maintaining both strategic reach and diplomatic control.

2.HAMMER Precision-Guided Bomb: The HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range), a French air-to-ground smart bomb developed by Safran Electronics & Defense.It is an air-to-ground smart weapon equipped with GPS, infrared, or laser guidance. Integrated with India’s Rafale jets, it was used to engage semi-mobile and medium-range targets, offering high flexibility and precision essential for neutralizing dynamic threats deep within enemy territory.

3.Loitering Munitions (“Kamikaze Drones”): India used loitering munitions, or “kamikaze drones,” to carry out real-time surveillance and precision strikes. These unmanned aerial systems hover over target zones and engage threats either autonomously or via remote control. Ideal for hitting small or time-sensitive targets, they offer high accuracy with minimal collateral damage, playing a crucial role in neutralizing hidden or mobile terror assets during the operation.

4.Harop Drones: The newer HAROP, which evolved from the HARPY, known for its radar-seeking capabilities, to strike several strategic targets deep inside Pakistan. Developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Harop is a hybrid between a drone and a missile, designed to autonomously detect and destroy high-value assets, especially enemy radar systems and air defence installations.According to the Military Balance report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Harop is a key component of India’s expanding precision-strike unmanned arsenal.

5.S-400 Sudarshan Chakra: Amid the ongoing tensions with Pakistan, a mythical symbol of divine power has taken on a modern form in India. The mythical Sudarshan Chakra of Lord Vishnu has returned as a potent weapon for India. The S-400 air defence system, often called one of the most advanced in the world, roared to life drawing comparisons to the mythic Sudarshan Chakra of Lord Vishnu, the celestial weapon said to destroy evil and restore cosmic order.Built by Russia’s Almaz-Antey, the key features of the S-400 include multi-target engagement, which means it can simultaneously engage up to 36 targets using its advanced radar and missile systems, making it highly effective in complex air defence scenarios.

It can detect and engage targets at distances of up to 400 kilometers with its most advanced missiles, making it effective against long-range threats. It can be activated within five minutes, is “twice as effective as the previous Russian air defence systems” and has the flexibility to be “integrated into the existing and future air defence units of the air force, army and navy”. It can hit aircraft, cruise missiles and even fast-moving intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

The S-400 can engage almost all types of modern warplanes. Its radar can track targets up to 600 km away.

6.Rafale Jets: Known for their semi-stealth design, French-made Rafale fighter jets offer low radar visibility and are equipped with the cutting-edge RBE2-AA AESA radar for superior target detection and tracking.

These jets carried SCALP (Storm Shadow) cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided bombs, enabling deep strikes with high accuracy.

The Rafale also boasts the SPECTRA electronic warfare suite, one of the most advanced in its class, along with Meteor BVR missiles, providing exceptional range and combat superiority. Combined, these systems make the Rafale a formidable platform for high-risk, high-impact missions.

7. Su-30MKI Jets: Su-30MKI jets is known for defensive roles and engaging distant target. Developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau, the Su-30MKI is a twin-engine, multi-role combat aircraft known for its range, payload capacity, and supermaneuverability.

Measuring 72 feet in length with a 48-foot wingspan, the Su-30MKI is larger and heavier than the Rafale, designed for long-range missions and heavy payloads.

With the ability to carry up to eight tonnes of weaponry including R-77, Astra, and BrahMos missiles, the Su-30MKI plays a crucial role in air dominance, ground strikes, and maritime missions. Powered by thrust-vectoring AL-31FP engines, it can reach speeds of Mach 2 and altitudes of 56,000 feet, making it ideal for long-range engagements. As the backbone of the IAF, with over 260 in service, it provided vital air cover during the operation.

8. Mirage-2000 Jets: The Dassault Mirage 2000, a French-origin multi-role fighter, known for its agility and precision, the single-engine, delta-wing jet and can reach speeds up to Mach 2.2 with a combat range of 1,550 km.

Measuring 14.36 metres in length with a 9.13-metre wingspan, the Mirage 2000 has a proven combat record from 500+ sorties during the 1999 Kargil War to the Balakot airstrikes in 2019.

9. SPICE Bombs: The SPICE (Smart, Precise Impact and Cost-Effective) bombs are advanced precision-guided munitions developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel. These bomb kits are designed to convert standard 1,000 lb and 2,000 lb unguided bombs into highly accurate stand-off strike weapons.

As per Business Insider, the SPICE bombs convert air-to-ground unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions.

Equipped with electro-optical guidance, SPICE bombs use pre-loaded target data and real-time scene-matching algorithms to navigate without GPS, making them highly effective in GPS-jammed or denied environments.

The SPICE-2000, fitted with a 900-kg warhead, is capable of penetrating hardened targets, such as underground bunkers and weapon storage sites.

Also Read: Lord Vishnu’s Weapon ‘Sudarsharn Chakra’ Finds a Modern Avatar in India’s S-400, Key Shield Amid Rising Tensions with Pakistan

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