Citing a statement by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the Delhi High Court on Saturday, Indian media reported that the IAF has revealed details of the accidental launch of the BrahMos supersonic missile in Pakistan.
According to Hindustan Times, the incident took place on March 9, 2022, when a missile violated Pakistan’s airspace and crashed in the eastern area of Mian Chanu.
Islamabad condemned the ‘flagrant violation’ of its airspace but refrained from taking any action in response.
New Delhi attributed the experiment to a ‘technical glitch’ and issued an official apology, describing the whole incident as ‘deeply regrettable’.
The IAF shared its findings about the misfire this week, saying the missile’s combat connectors, which “remained connected to the junction box,” caused the accidental launch towards Pakistan.
The statement also disclosed that the unit commander of a road convoy carrying a missile launcher ‘failed to disconnect the combat connectors of all missiles and ensure safe transport of the convoy.’
The IAF acknowledged that the incident affected relations between India and Pakistan and wrote that three officials accompanying the missile launcher were dismissed for unacceptable behaviour.
The IAF’s statement came in response to a petition filed in the Delhi High Court by Wing Commander Abhinav Sharma, one of the three dismissed officers, who blamed Air Commodore and Squadron Leader JT Kurian for the incident.
However, the IAF denied their allegation, stressing that the Koreans were not responsible for the operations carried out by the unit.
The incident raised international concern, especially given that Pakistan and India, both nuclear powers, are fierce rivals and have had several armed clashes over the years.
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The US accepted India’s explanation that the mistaken launch was an accident, while China urged the two countries to jointly investigate the matter and find ways to avoid “misunderstandings and wrong decisions” in the future. Find out.
It also said that the two are ‘key countries in South Asia, shouldering the responsibilities of maintaining regional security and stability.’
The last clash between Pakistan and India took place in 2019, involving cross-border airstrikes and exchange of fire along the Line of Control.
As a result of these clashes, New Delhi and Islamabad severed almost all diplomatic and trade relations.
However, earlier this month, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar indicated that Islamabad is keen to restore business relations with the neighboring country.
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2024-10-04 07:38:28
