The Indian Air Force said the government fired three officers for accidentally launching a missile at Pakistan in March, an incident the two nuclear-armed rivals calmly handled as there were no casualties.
Military experts in the past have warned of the risk of accidents or miscalculations from neighbors who have fought three wars and engaged in numerous small armed clashes, usually in disputed territory of Kashmir.
The BrahMos missile, a nuclear-capable cruise missile developed jointly by Russia and India, was launched on March 9, prompting Pakistan to seek responses from India on security mechanisms in place to prevent accidental launches.
“A court of inquiry, set up to establish the facts of the case, including liability for the accident, concluded that three officers’ failure to comply with standard operating procedures led to the missile’s accidental launch,” said the Air Force in a statement. declaration.
He said the government fired the three officers with immediate effect on Tuesday.
According to the US-based Arms Control Association, the range of the BrahMos missile is between 300 and 500 km, making it capable of striking Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, from a launch pad in northern India. India.