The Indian army accidentally sent a missile into Pakistan, which resulted in no casualties, India’s Ministry of Defense announced on Friday, calling the move “deeply regrettable”.
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“As part of routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile” on Wednesday and landing in “Pakistani areas,” the ministry said in a statement. “The fact that there were no fatalities as a result of the accident is a relief,” he added.
The Defense Ministry did not indicate what type of missile it was, but said a high-level investigation had begun.
India, a Hindu-majority country, and Pakistan, a Muslim nation, have fought three wars since the end of British rule in 1947, two of them over the disputed Kashmir region.
The two countries maintain a strong military presence on both sides of their common border and rising tensions have raised fears of a nuclear confrontation.
The statement from India’s Ministry of Defense came hours after Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it called an “unjustified violation” of Pakistan’s airspace “by a + supersonic flying object + originating from India.
The Pakistani ministry added that it had summoned India’s charge d’affaires in Islamabad, who was told of a “firm protest”.
‘Reckless fire’ damaged buildings on the ground and endangered the lives of civilians and aircraft in Pakistani airspace, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry added, accusing India of being ‘insensitive to peace’ and regional stability”.
