India says 'high-level inquiry' underway after missile accidentally fired into Pakistan

NEW DELHI

India is conducting a “high-level inquiry” and reviewing standard operating procedures after a missile was accidentally launched into Pakistan, its defense minister said on Tuesday.

“A formal high-level inquiry has been ordered. The inquiry would determine the exact cause of the accident,” Rajnath Singh told parliament.

He said “a missile was accidentally released” during routine maintenance and inspection at around 7 p.m. on March 9.

“It was later learnt that the missile had landed inside the territory of Pakistan. While this incident is regretted, we are relieved that nobody was hurt due to the accident,” said Singh.

Authorities are carrying out a “review of the standard operating procedures for operations, maintenance and inspections,” he added.

“We attach the highest priority to the safety and security of our weapon systems. If any shortcoming is found, the same would be immediately rectified,” he pledged, assuring lawmakers that the “missile system is very reliable and safe.”

Pakistan called for a joint investigation to “accurately establish” the facts after the Indian missile landed in Mian Channu, a town in northeastern Punjab province, some 250 kilometers from the Indian border, last Wednesday.

India admitted on Friday that “in the course of routine maintenance, a technical malfunctioning led to the accidental firing of a missile,” and said the incident would be investigated.

Islamabad, however, rejected New Delhi’s announcement of an “internal court of inquiry,” saying it was insufficient because the missile landed in Pakistani territory.

In a Foreign Ministry statement on Saturday, Pakistan urged the international community to take serious notice of “the incident of grave nature in a nuclearized environment and play its due role in promoting strategic stability in the region.”