On 9 March 2022, India accidentally fired a BrahMos missile originating from Sirsa, Haryana that crashed into Mian Channu, Khanewal District, Punjab, Pakistan.

2022 India–Pakistan missile incident
A BrahMos missile similar to the one involved in the incident.
Date9 March 2022 (2022-03-09) (22 months ago)
CauseClaimed by India to be the result of a malfunction
ParticipantsIndia
Pakistan
OutcomePakistan publicly condemns India.

Incident

On 9 March 2022, at 6:43 pm, Air Defence Operations Centre of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) picked up a high-speed flying object inside Indian territory. "From its initial course, the object suddenly manoeuvred towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan's air space, ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6:50 pm", according to Director General Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).[1]

The crash near Mian Channu, Khanewal District, in Punjab, Pakistan, caused damage to civilian property but no civilian casualties.[2] The missile travelled 124 kilometres inside Pakistani territory in three minutes and 44 seconds, according to Air Vice Marshall Tariq Zia. The missile with its point of origin reported to be near Sirsa, Haryana[1] entered into Pakistan from Suratgarh, Rajasthan.[3]

Earlier media reports suggested that an aircraft had crashed in the area.[4][5]

Reaction

Pakistan

Pakistan strongly condemned the incident and warned India against recurrence of any such incident in the future.[1][3]

On 11 March 2022, the Foreign Office of Pakistan summoned the Indian envoy to register Pakistan's protest over the unprovoked airspace violation by an Indian origin "super-sonic flying object", saying such "irresponsible incidents" reflected India's "disregard for air safety and callousness towards regional peace and stability".[6]

On 12 March 2022, the Foreign Office of Pakistan issued a statement demanding "a joint probe to accurately establish the facts surrounding the incident" while rejecting New Delhi's decision to hold an internal inquiry.[7]

India

On 11 March 2022, 48 hours after the incident, the Indian Defense Ministry said "a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile"[8] and that it was "deeply regrettable". India also said that they have ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry to look into the incident. While still unconfirmed by both the Indian and Pakistani authorities, sources say that the missile fired was a BrahMos.[9][10][11] According to Times of India, conventional missiles like the BrahMos also don't have "self-destruct mechanisms" like the ones available on India's strategic or nuclear missiles.[12]

On 23 August 2022, 3 Indian Airforce officers were primarily held responsible for the incident for "deviation from the Standard Operating Procedures" and their services were terminated by the Indian government with immediate effect.[13][14]

The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs later issued a statement rejecting the Indian investigations and maintained its demand for a joint investigation of the incident.[15]

China

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian called for "a thorough investigation" into the incident while urging India and Pakistan to "strengthen information sharing" and establishing "a notification mechanism in time to avoid the recurrence of such incidents and to prevent miscalculation".[16]

United States

US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price while responding to a question about the incident, said that "we have no indication" that India's missile launch into Pakistan was "anything other than an accident".[17]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "'India to explain what happened in Mian Channu,' says DG ISPR after Indian projectile falls in Pakistan". Dawn News. 10 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "Pakistan seeks joint probe into Indian missile fiasco". Express Tribune. 12 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Pakistan registers strong protest over unprovoked violation of its airspace by a 'super-sonic flying object' of Indian origin". mofa.gov.pk. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  4. ↑ "Trainer crashes in Mian Channu". Dawn. 10 March 2022.
  5. ↑ "Fighter jet crashes in Mian Channu". Dunya News. 9 March 2022.
  6. ↑ "FO summons Indian envoy, registers strong protest over unprovoked violation of airspace". Dawn. 11 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "Pakistan demands joint probe into 'accidental' India missile fire". Reuters. 13 March 2022.
  8. ↑ "India Accidentally Fires a Missile at Pakistan. Calm Ensues". The New York Times. 12 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "India accidentally fires missile into Pakistan". BBC News. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "India accidentally fired missile into Pakistan because of 'technical malfunction'". France 24. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "Accidentally fired missile into Pakistan due to tech glitch, says India. 'It was BrahMos'". The Print. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Missile firing: IAF inquiry on, but Pak seeks joint probe". Times of India. 13 March 2022.
  13. ↑ "3 Air Force Officers Sacked For Missile Accidentally Fired Into Pakistan". Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "India sacks 3 for accidentally launching missile into Pakistan in March". Dawn. 23 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Pakistan rejects India's purported closure of the incident of the firing of a supersonic Missile into Pakistani territory on 9 March, 2022 and reiterates demand for joint probe". Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government of Pakistan. 24 August 2022.
  16. ↑ "US, China call for direct Pakistan-India talks". Dawn. 15 March 2022.
  17. ↑ "No indication India's missile launch into Pakistan was anything other than accident:US". Dawn. 15 March 2022.
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