India’s Precision Missile Arsenal in Operation Sindoor Targeting Terrorist Bases in Pakistan
In response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, India launched Operation Sindoor in early May 2025. This operation involved coordinated precision strikes on nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Armed Forces employed a mix of highly advanced missile systems known for their precision, range, and destructive power, allowing the strikes to be executed without crossing the Line of Control. This report focuses on the technical capabilities of these missile systems, how they were deployed during the operation, and the operational considerations behind their use.
One of the cornerstone weapons in Operation Sindoor was the SCALP missile, internationally known as the Storm Shadow. Developed by the European MBDA consortium, the SCALP is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile designed to engage hardened targets with minimal collateral damage. The missile features a length of approximately 5 meters and weighs close to 1,300 kilograms, with a high-explosive, penetrator warhead weighing around 450 kilograms. It has an operational range of 250 to 300 kilometers, which allows the launch platform—typically the Indian Air Force’s Dassault Rafale—to remain well outside enemy air defense envelopes.
SCALP’s propulsion is provided by a turbojet engine, enabling it to fly at subsonic speeds (approximately Mach 0.8) while following a low-altitude terrain-hugging flight path. This terrain-following capability is achieved using a combination of radar altimeters and digital terrain elevation data stored onboard. By flying just meters above the ground, SCALP minimizes detection by enemy radar systems and reduces the risk of interception by surface-to-air missiles.
The missile’s guidance suite includes an Inertial Navigation System (INS) backed up by GPS, ensuring accurate mid-course navigation over long distances. The terminal guidance phase is conducted using an active radar seeker, allowing the missile to autonomously identify and home in on its target, typically a hardened facility such as a bunker or command center. This multi-mode guidance approach results in a circular error probable (CEP) of less than 3 meters, which means the missile strikes within a few meters of its designated target. This precision is crucial in Operation Sindoor’s context, where avoiding collateral damage and civilian casualties was paramount.
The SCALP missiles used during Operation Sindoor were deployed in salvos launched by Rafale jets flying at high altitudes and speeds, releasing their payloads from outside the range of Pakistan’s air defenses. The Indian Air Force’s Rafale, equipped with state-of-the-art electronic warfare suites and radar systems like the RBE2 AESA radar, ensured target acquisition and safe missile release while evading hostile detection.
In tandem with SCALP, India employed the Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) glide bomb, manufactured by French defense company Safran. The HAMMER system weighs approximately 125 kilograms and is modular, allowing its configuration for various mission profiles. It uses an inertial navigation system integrated with GPS for mid-flight guidance and a semi-active laser seeker for terminal homing. The HAMMER bomb’s glide capability provides it with a stand-off range exceeding 50 kilometers when released at altitude, giving the launching aircraft a safety buffer from enemy air defenses. The bomb’s modular design means its warhead can be configured for penetration, blast fragmentation, or a combination of effects to adapt to different target types. During Operation Sindoor, HAMMER bombs were particularly effective in engaging softer targets such as weapons depots, logistics nodes, and mobile terrorist elements that required high precision and minimized collateral damage. The dual guidance modes allowed flexibility—GPS guidance for fixed targets and laser guidance for moving targets or targets identified in real-time by forward observers or drones.
Another significant asset was the use of loitering munitions, sometimes referred to as “suicide drones.” These unmanned aerial vehicles are equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors and can stay airborne for extended periods over the target area. Indian loitering munitions can be launched from ground stations or air platforms and provide real-time surveillance coupled with the ability to engage high-value targets as they appear. Loitering munitions bring a tactical advantage by maintaining eyes on targets for hours, enabling dynamic targeting decisions during the operation. Their relatively small size and low radar cross-section make them difficult to detect and intercept. The warhead size is typically smaller compared to larger missiles but sufficient to neutralize personnel and vehicles, disrupt command and control, or destroy light infrastructure.
Finally, BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles played a crucial role in Operation Sindoor’s broader military posture. BrahMos, developed jointly by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia, is among the world’s fastest cruise missiles, capable of flying at speeds near Mach 2.8 to 3.0. It measures roughly 8.4 meters in length and weighs about 3,000 kilograms with a conventional warhead weighing approximately 200 to 300 kilograms. BrahMos missiles can be launched from multiple platforms—land-based mobile launchers, naval ships, and aircraft (specifically modified Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters). During Operation Sindoor, it is reported that BrahMos was used primarily for striking strategic terror-related infrastructure well within Pakistani territory, beyond the reach of manned aircraft strikes. Its speed and sea-skimming flight profile make it extremely difficult to intercept. BrahMos uses inertial navigation supplemented by GPS, with a terminal guidance radar seeker that actively homes in on the target, providing a CEP of approximately 10 meters. Although slightly less precise than SCALP, its sheer speed and payload make it devastating against high-value fixed targets.
Operationally, BrahMos strikes provide strategic depth to India’s military response by delivering powerful blows that can destroy critical infrastructure, disrupt terror supply chains, and degrade enemy morale. The missile’s mobility and rapid deployability mean it can be launched on short notice from various points, complicating enemy defense planning.
Operation Sindoor’s success was facilitated by integrating these missile systems into a well-coordinated campaign, supported by robust intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. Indian forces used satellite imagery, signals intelligence, and drone surveillance to identify and verify targets. Real-time data links between ISR assets and command centers enabled dynamic targeting and adaptation during the strikes. The operation’s precision was evident in the relatively short duration of the missile barrage approximately 23 minutes—during which all nine targets were effectively neutralized. This rapid, focused strike campaign limited the window for enemy countermeasures or escalation, preserving the tactical and strategic initiative.
Furthermore, the strikes were conducted without Indian fighter jets crossing into Pakistani airspace, thanks to the stand-off ranges of the missiles. This not only minimized risk to pilots but also reduced the likelihood of direct aerial engagements, lowering the chances of the conflict escalating into a larger war. Technically, the combination of GPS and inertial navigation systems on these missiles provides robustness against electronic warfare. While GPS signals can be jammed or spoofed, the inertial system ensures missiles remain on course until the terminal phase, when active seekers guide them precisely to the target. This layered guidance system improves mission success rates even in contested electromagnetic environments.
From a propulsion standpoint, the turbojet engines in cruise missiles like SCALP and BrahMos enable sustained powered flight at subsonic or supersonic speeds, respectively. This contrasts with traditional ballistic missiles, which rely on ballistic trajectories and are harder to control mid-flight. The integration of advanced warheads designed for bunker penetration or fragmentation allows these missiles to be tailored to target specific types of terrorist infrastructure. Hardened underground bunkers housing command centers or ammunition caches are effectively destroyed by SCALP’s penetrating warhead, while HAMMER’s modular warheads are ideal for surface targets requiring less penetration.
India’s choice to employ a mix of these missile systems during Operation Sindoor showcases an understanding of the operational environment and a commitment to using the right tool for each target. The use of SCALP against heavily fortified camps, HAMMER against tactical targets, BrahMos for strategic infrastructure, and loitering munitions for dynamic and mobile targets demonstrates a sophisticated layered strike strategy. Operational feedback suggests that the missiles performed as expected with minimal failure rates. Such performance reflects extensive testing and integration efforts over the past decade, including multiple successful missile test firings and integration with Indian Air Force platforms.
The combination of these advanced missile systems also reflects India’s defense procurement strategy, which includes both indigenous development (BrahMos) and selective acquisition of foreign technology (SCALP and HAMMER). This hybrid approach ensures access to cutting-edge technology while nurturing domestic defense manufacturing capabilities.
This detailed account of the missiles used during Operation Sindoor is based on verified open-source intelligence collected as of May 24, 2025. This research also benefited from satellite imagery analysis, expert interviews, and assessments published by defense think tanks that track South Asian military developments.
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