IAF signed Rs 300 cr deal with Israel to procure SPICE bombs

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has signed a Rs 300 crore deal with a Israeli defence firm to procure a batch of SPICE 2000 guided bombs. The deal was signed with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The bombs are expected to be supplied in the next three months, official sources said Friday.

The order for the bombs has been placed under the special financial powers given to the armed forces by the government for emergency purchases, a sources said. Also, the government relaxed certain rules to cut delays in military purchase like allowing  the three services to procure required weapons and equipment from a single vendor.

On February 26, The IAF had used these SPICE bombs in its strikes on a JeM terrorist training camp in Balakot, Pakistan. The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror group claimed responsibility for Pulwama attack on a CRPF convoy in which 40 soldiers were killed in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the Pulwama attack, the government granted emergency powers to the three services to procure weapons and military hardware to enhance their operational preparedness along the border with Pakistan.