India orders high-level probe into accidental firing of missile at area in Pakistan, expresses regret

India on Friday taking a serious note of the accidental firing of a missile in the course of a routine maintenance due to a technical malfunction, has ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry into the matter.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said, “On 9 March 2022, in the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile. The Government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry.”

The Ministry of Defence said it is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan.

“While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident,” the Ministry added.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani armed forces had claimed that a projectile from India had allegedly landed on its territory.

“At 6:43 p.m. (13:43 GMT) a high-speed flying object was picked up inside Indian territory by air defence operations centre of Pakistan Air Force. From its initial course the object suddenly manoeuvred towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s air space ultimately following near me at Mian Channu at 6:50 p.m. (13:50 GMT),” Russian news agency Sputnik had quoted a Pakistani armed forces spokesperson from a press briefing.

Pakistan summoned India's Charge d’Affaires and expressed extreme displeasure with the alleged unprovoked breach of its airspace by an Indian-origin supersonic flying object. Islamabad demanded a full and transparent inquiry into the matter.

The Indian diplomat was informed on Thursday night of an alleged breach of its airspace by an Indian-origin supersonic flying object that entered Pakistan from Suratgarh in India at 6:43 PM (local time) on March 9, according to a statement published after midnight by Pakistan's Foreign Office, news agency PTI reported.

The object crashed on the ground near Mian Chunnu city in Pakistan’s Punjab region at roughly 6:50 pm on the same day, inflicting damage to civilian property.

“The Indian diplomat was conveyed that the imprudent launch of the flying object not only caused damage to civilian property but also put at risk human lives on the ground,” the Foreign Office (FO) was quoted by PTI in its report.