India much better equipped to target cross-border terror since Balakot

Since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, India has significantly upgraded its arsenal to target cross-border terror infrastructure with greater precision and safety. From long-range air-launched missiles like SCALP and BrahMos to loitering munitions and the S-400 air defence system, the armed forces now have a broader and more advanced weaponry, writes Manu Pubby.

STRIKING FROM INDIAN TERRITORY: LONGER REACH, LOWER RISK THEN (2019): Indian Mirage 2000 jets had to cross the LoC to deliver older-generation SPICE 2000 bombs, exposing them to enemy air defences and risking pilot capture, as seen in the Abhinandan incident.

NOW: SCALP Missiles (Rafale): Over 300 km range, precision targeting, terrain-hugging capabilities. Can be launched from deep within Indian airspace to hit targets like terror HQs in Bahawalpur or Muridke. Air-Launched BrahMos (Su30 MKI): Supersonic, standoff strike capability. Can target enemy airbases or camps without crossing into Pakistani airspace


LOITERING MUNITIONS FOR SURGICAL SHALLOW-DEPTH STRIKES THEN: Options were limited to manned platforms or conventional artillery for targeting posts near the LoC.

NOW: ALS-50 (TASL): Vertical take-off + fixed-wing flight. Reaches 50 km for pinpoint strikes on launch pads or enemy outposts. Nagastra & Other Drones: Indigenous suicide drones bought post-Galwan for quick, precise, and low-cost tactical missions near borders. Ideal for time-sensitive or covert missions with minimal escalation risk.3.

ARTILLERY THAT MOVES & HITS FAST K9 VAJRA HOWITZERS: Self-propelled, fast-deploying artillery. Useful for suppressing enemy fire from across the LoC that supports infiltration or covers terror movement. Improves India’s ability to deliver accurate retaliation without airpower.

SUPERIOR AIR DEFENCE TO DETER AND DEFEND THEN: Defence depended largely on Su-30MKIs and base-level air defences, which struggled against Pakistan’s F-16s and AMRAAM missiles.

NOW: Meteor Missiles (on Rafale): BVR capability far superior to Pakistan’s. S-400 Air Defence (Russian origin): 400+ km range makes Pakistani AWACS and fighter jets vulnerable — even when they fly deep inside their own airspace. India now holds the advantage not just in strike power, but in neutralising any counterstrike.