Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said in the Parliament that a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the “inadvertent” firing of a projectile that landed in Pakistan on March 9 saying that “if any lapses are found, action will be taken accordingly.” Addressing the Rajya Sabha, the minister informed that standard operating procedures (SOPs) for operations, maintenance, and inspection of such systems are being reviewed after the incident.
The Defence Minister informed Rajya Sabha about the details of the incident. He told the house, “I’d like to tell this House about an incident that occurred on 9th March 2022. It’s related to an accidental missile release during the inspection. During routine maintenance and inspection of the missile unit, around 7 pm, one missile got accidentally released. Singh sought to assure Parliament that the “Indian missile system is very reliable and safe” and that the “safety procedures and protocols are of the highest order”.
Singh assured the house of the safety measures of the missile system. He said, “I can assure the House that the missile system is very reliable and safe. Moreover, our safety procedures and protocols are of the highest order and are reviewed from time to time. Our Armed Forces are well-trained and disciplined and are well experienced in handling such systems.” He informed that the government has taken serious note of the incident, and that “a formal high-level inquiry” has been ordered.
The minister also said that the probe would determine the exact cause of the accident. Assuring the house that any technical shortcomings in the missile system would be fixed at the earliest, Singh said, “We attach the highest priority to the safety and security of our weapon systems. If any shortcoming is found, the same would be immediately rectified.”
India on March 11 admitted that a technical malfunction during maintenance operations had resulted in the accidental launch of a missile that landed in Pakistani territory.
