Three Indian air force officers were dismissed for accidentally launching a missile toward Pakistan. They launched the supersonic missile launched from Wheeler Island in the eastern Indian state of Odisha during a test that landed in Pakistan. The BrahMos cruise missile was fired from India on 9 March landing 78 miles inside Pakistani territory, damaging a wall in a residential area but no casualties or injuries were reported.
Pakistani officials demanded an explanation from New Delhi and called the launch a flagrant violation of the country’s airspace. Two days after the launch, India’s defence ministry acknowledged the mistake, saying that the firing was caused by a technical malfunction during routine maintenance and termed the incident deeply regrettable. Islamabad sent a letter to the UN Security Council regarding the missile taking strong exception to such an incident.
Fortunately both countries showed remarkable constraint in responding to such outrage speaking volumes about the maturity gained by their defence sectors. It, however, is a cause of worry that such a mistake was committed as this kind of technology could prove lethal if used irresponsibly. TW
