Defense Minister Rajnath Singh today assured the nation that India’s missile system is highly reliable and secure.
“In addition, our security procedures and protocols are of the highest standard and are revised from time to time. Our armed forces are well trained and disciplined and have great experience in handling such systems,” he said in a statement to the Rajya Sabha on the March 9 incident in which an unarmed Indian supersonic missile launched “inadvertently” landed in Pakistan.
“During routine maintenance and inspection, a missile was accidentally released around 7 p.m. It was later learned that the missile had landed inside Pakistani territory. Although this incident is regretted, we are relieved that no one was injured as a result of the accident,” Rajnath said.
He informed the House that the government “took serious note of the incident” and that a “high-level formal investigation has been ordered” which would “determine the exact cause of said accident”.
He said; “I would also like to state that a review of standard operating procedures for operations, maintenance and inspections is underway following this incident. We place the highest priority on the safety and security of our systems. If a deficiency is found, it will be corrected immediately.
“In addition, our security procedures and protocols are of the highest standard and are revised from time to time. Our armed forces are well trained and disciplined and are well experienced in handling such systems,” he said.
The incident came to light after the Pakistani military mentioned in a March 10 press conference that an Indian missile had landed 124 km inside Pakistani territory the previous evening. He said the missile had been launched from Sirsa and was traveling southwest towards India’s Mahajan firing range when it suddenly turned northwest and entered Pakistani airspace before departing. land near Mian Channu Mian Channu in Khanewal District.
No one was injured by the missile, but it damaged a wall where it landed, according to the Pakistani military. Islamabad had summoned the Indian envoy on March 11 and demanded that the two countries jointly investigate the incident.
