Indian Missile ‘Accidentally’ Lands in Pakistan

The Indian Ministry of Defense said a technical malfunction led to an accidental firing of a missile, which landed on Pakistani territory.

The incident took place on 9 March 2022. “In the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile,” the MoD said, adding that the Government of India “has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry.”

Islamabad claimed the missile was launched from India’s Hisar violated its airspace and fell in Mian Channu city in Khanewal district of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The projectile was reportedly flying at a high altitude of 40,000 feet and was travelling at speeds in excess of Mach 2.5.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), media and PR wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, said in a statement that the Indian missile was without a warhead and had come close to civilian airlines, and had come over 124 km inside Pakistan.

“At 6.43 p.m., a high-speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by the Air Defense Operation Centre of the Pakistan Air Force [PAF]. From its initial course, the object suddenly maneuvered towards the Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s airspace ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6.50 p.m.,” Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director-General of ISPR, told a press conference. “When it fell it also damaged some civilian property. Thankfully no loss or injury to human life was caused.”

He added that the PAF continuously monitored the complete flight path of the flying object from its point of origin near Sirsa in India till its point of impact near Mian Channu.

“It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident,” the Indian MoD clarified.

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Tariq Zia said the missile originated from Sirsa and initially seemed to be heading towards the Mahajan field firing range but after 70-80 km turned in the direction of Pakistan. “The total time from pick up till its impact on the ground was 6 minutes and 46 seconds. However, the time it stayed in the Pakistani territory was for 3 minutes and 44 seconds,” he further stated.

AVM Zia added that they had recovered the debris and were doing the forensic analysis. Based on the analysis, he said it was a supersonic surface-to-surface missile.