India has ordered a review of the standard operating procedures for operations, maintenance and inspection of its weapon systems after one of its missiles landed in Pakistan after being accidentally fired on March 9.
“We attach highest priority to safety and security of our weapon systems. If any shortcoming is found, the same would be immediately rectified,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told both houses of Parliament on Tuesday.
Singh also assured the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha that the missile system was “very reliable and safe”.
New Delhi on March 11 admitted that a missile had been accidentally fired from India and landed in Pakistan after being fired accidentally a couple of days back. It did not divulge details about the missile, although sources said that it was one of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles manufactured in India in collaboration with Russia. The sources in New Delhi also said that the missile had been accidentally fired during an inspection of a military base located at an undisclosed location in India.
The Defence Minister on Tuesday made a statement on the incident in both the houses of Parliament. He said that the missile had been “accidentally released” during a routine maintenance and inspection at around 7 pm on March 9 and it had been later learnt that it had landed inside the territory of Pakistan. “While this incident is regretted, we are relieved that nobody was hurt due to the accident,” he said, adding that the government had taken serious note of the incident and a formal high level inquiry had been ordered. “The inquiry would determine the exact cause of the said accident”.
He said that a review of the Standard Operating Procedures for operations, maintenance and inspections was being conducted in the wake of the incident
Islamabad had of late stated that India’s internal probe would not be “sufficient” as the missile had fallen in the territory of Pakistan. It had called upon the international community to take serious notice of the accidental firing of the missile from India, noting that any countermeasure by Pakistan could have had grave consequences.
Pakistan had also alleged that the accidental firing of the missile from India had displayed “profound level of incompetence”. It had also asked India to explain if the missile had indeed been handled by its armed forces or some rogue elements.
Singh, however, on Tuesday dismissed the allegation by Pakistan and said that India's safety procedures and protocols for weapon systems were “of the highest order” and were “reviewed from time to time”. “Our armed forces are well-trained and disciplined and are well experienced in handling such systems.”
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