The barbaric terror attack in Kashmir on April 22 has shaken India to its core. Carried out by “The Resistance Front,” an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, the attack has ignited intense public anger and internal calls for a decisive military response against Pakistan. If India chooses military action, the Indian Air Force (IAF) may deploy a unique, lethal combination: its trio of French-origin fighter jets — the Jaguar, Mirage 2000, and Rafale.
The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the gruesome assault that left several civilians and security personnel dead. Though Pakistan officially denied involvement, the international community remains skeptical. Islamabad’s record of nurturing terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba under military patronage is an open secret.
India’s immediate response was swift and wide-ranging. New Delhi expelled Pakistani diplomats, revoked visas, suspended the crucial Indus Water Treaty, and sealed key border crossings. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh vowed a “strong response,” signaling that military retaliation is a real possibility. Opposition parties, often at odds with the ruling BJP, offered full support to the government — showing rare political unanimity in favor of action.
India has taken similar steps before. Following the deadly 2016 Uri attack, India launched surgical strikes across the Line of Control, targeting terror launch pads. In 2019, after the Pulwama attack killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel, Indian jets bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp deep inside Balakot, Pakistan — the first cross-border strike since 1971.
In any upcoming operation, the Indian Air Force could deploy a “very rare trio” — the SEPECAT Jaguar, Dassault Mirage 2000, and Dassault Rafale fighters. This would mark a significant moment in military aviation, showing how legacy and cutting-edge platforms can complement each other.
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French low-flying strike aircraft, optimized for deep penetration and nuclear delivery. Dubbed ‘Shamsher’ by the IAF, Jaguars have served India since 1979, forming a critical part of its nuclear triad.
Despite being phased out elsewhere, India continues to operate upgraded Jaguars. They played a vital role during the 1999 Kargil War, dropping laser-guided and conventional bombs on Pakistani positions. During the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, Jaguars performed a critical decoy role, luring Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16s away from Mirage strike packages.
Their “lo-lo-lo” flying capability — a deep strike profile flying low to evade radar — makes Jaguars relevant even today. With a combat radius of 650 kilometers at low level, they remain unmatched in this role. Recent conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war have underlined the importance of low-level penetration, with Ukrainian pilots adopting similar tactics.
Even after 45 years, Jaguars continue to be modernized, and will likely stay operational into the mid-2030s. Their ruggedness, twin-engine survivability, and adaptability from improvised airstrips make them indispensable.
After the U.S. supplied F-16s to Pakistan in the early 1980s, India rushed to strengthen its own air fleet by acquiring Mirage 2000s. Since joining the IAF, these delta-winged fighters have been at the forefront of India’s aerial power projection.
During the 1999 Kargil War, Mirage 2000s changed the tide. When MiG-21s and MiG-27s struggled against entrenched enemy positions, Mirage 2000s executed precision laser-guided bomb strikes that devastated Pakistani command posts, most notably at Tiger Hill. Their pinpoint accuracy earned accolades from the Indian Army, who credited the Mirage pilots with accelerating Pakistan’s retreat.
The Mirages reprised their lethal reputation during the Balakot airstrikes in 2019. Twelve Mirage 2000s crossed into Pakistani airspace undetected and bombed a major Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp. Using Israeli-made Spice 2000 bombs, they inflicted massive damage while escaping without losses.
Mirage 2000s were chosen over more modern Su-30MKIs for the Balakot mission due to their smaller radar cross-section, making them harder to detect. Their proven compatibility with advanced munitions and reliability in hostile environments ensured mission success.
Although plans exist to replace them with the indigenous Tejas MkII, delays have extended the Mirages’ operational lifespan well into the 2040s. Upgraded with new avionics and weapon systems, the Mirage 2000 remains a vital component of India’s offensive air strategy.
The arrival of the Dassault Rafale has transformed the Indian Air Force. With the ability to perform air superiority, ground attack, reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrent missions simultaneously, Rafale is arguably South Asia’s most potent fighter jet.
India ordered 36 Rafales in 2016. The jets became operational between 2019 and 2022, quickly being deployed to forward bases in response to the border tensions with China.
The Rafale’s technological superiority is evident. Its AESA radar, Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles, SCALP cruise missiles, and SPECTRA electronic warfare suite make it an apex predator. During war games, even China’s stealthy J-20 was considered vulnerable to Rafale’s radar and missile systems.
Pakistan, feeling exposed, rushed to acquire the Chinese J-10C fighters to balance India’s Rafale advantage. However, experts maintain that J-10Cs cannot match Rafale’s performance, particularly in sensor fusion, weapon payload, and survivability.
India has not yet deployed Rafales in combat against Pakistan. However, the jets have seen action in other theaters under French command — including Mali, Syria, and Libya — proving their mettle in real-world conditions.
The Indian Navy’s decision to procure Rafale-M jets for its aircraft carriers further reflects India’s confidence in the platform’s versatility and reliability.
If New Delhi opts for military retaliation, the deployment of Jaguars, Mirage 2000s, and Rafales could deliver a devastating punch. Jaguars can perform deep-penetration bombing runs at low altitude, Mirage 2000s can carry out precision strikes on hardened targets, and Rafales can dominate the airspace while providing escort and electronic warfare support.
This trio offers a unique mix: old-school survivability, proven precision, and futuristic lethality. It also sends a powerful geopolitical message — a blend of legacy and modern airpower, fully integrated and battle-ready.
Pakistan, whose air fleet largely relies on older F-16s and Chinese-origin JF-17s, lacks a credible answer to the Rafale. Although Pakistan recently inducted the Chinese J-10C, military experts argue that India’s Rafales, coupled with the combat experience of Mirage and Jaguar crews, tip the balance heavily in India’s favor.
A decisive military response could permanently change the rules of engagement in Kashmir and beyond. It would show that India is willing to escalate costs for Pakistani adventurism, shifting the deterrence equation.
Yet, airstrikes carry risks. Pakistan’s reaction — political, military, and diplomatic — would need careful anticipation. In 2019, Pakistan retaliated with airstrikes of its own, leading to an aerial skirmish where an Indian MiG-21 was shot down. Such incidents could spiral if not managed wisely.
Therefore, any military action would likely be tightly calibrated: designed to inflict maximum cost on terror infrastructure without allowing the conflict to widen uncontrollably.
India’s military posture is hardening. With public opinion, political leadership, and military preparedness aligned, the likelihood of a forceful response is high. The exercise “Akraman,” launched within days of the Pahalgam terror attack, is likely a preparatory move.
If the IAF unleashes its Jaguar-Mirage-Rafale trio, it won’t just be a punitive operation. It will mark a new era of Indian air power — blending legacy strength and future readiness — a signal to adversaries that terror will come at an unbearable cost.
Regardless of whether airstrikes are launched, India’s strategic trajectory is clear. It is investing heavily in building an independent, technology-driven, and globally respected military force. The trio of Jaguars, Mirage 2000s, and Rafales is just one part of that journey — a journey shaped by resilience, foresight, and the uncompromising pursuit of national security.
