New Delhi, March 15 (UNI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said a review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for operations, maintenance and inspections was being conducted following the accidental firing of a missile by India which landed in Pakistan.
Making identical statements in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Singh said India’s missile system was “very reliable and safe” and its “safety procedures and protocols are of the highest order”. Making a statement on the inadvertent firing of a missile which landed in Pakistan, he said India attaches the “highest priority to safety and security of its weapon systems”.
During routine maintenance and inspection, a missile was accidentally released at around 7 pm. It was later learnt that the missile had landed inside the territory of Pakistan. “While this incident is regretted, we are relieved that nobody was hurt due to the accident,” the minister said.
A high-level inquiry had been ordered by the government that will determine the exact cause of the accident. Also, a review of the SOP for operations, maintenance and inspections was being conducted. Moreover, safety procedures and protocols were of the highest order and were reviewed from time to time, he said.
