On Friday, the Indian government said it accidentally fired a missile that landed in Pakistan on March 9 and that the “deeply regrettable” incident was caused by a technical malfunction in the course of its routine maintenance. India’s defence ministry said that the government has taken a serious view of the incident and ordered a ‘Court of Enquiry’ into it, a day after Pakistan said a high-speed projectile launched from India entered its airspace.
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament on Tuesday that the “inadvertent” firing of a missile into Pakistan earlier this month is regrettable and that the government has taken the matter “very seriously”.
“I would like to tell this House about an incident that occurred on 9th March 2022. It is related to an accidental missile release during the inspection. During routine maintenance and inspection of the missile unit, around 7 pm, one missile got accidentally released. It was later known that the missile fell in Pakistan’s territory.,” he said in the Rajya Sabha.
Stressing that India’s missile system is “highly reliable and safe”, Singh said that the highest priority is given to the safety and security of the country’s weapon system.
“The incident is regrettable. But it is a relief that no losses happened. I would like to inform the House that the government has taken this matter very seriously and official order for a high-level probe has been given,” he added.
“We give the highest priority to the safety and security of our weapon system. If any shortcomings are found in this context, they will immediately be rectified. I would like to assure the House that our missile system is highly reliable and safe. Our safety procedure and protocols are of the highest standards. Our armed forces are well-trained and disciplined,” he added.