Things related to the Defence of the country are always treated as sensitive and even highly critical when it comes to areas like ballistic missiles. A country of the size and military strength of India, therefore, cannot compromise with even the minutest of any sort of innocently committed goof in its operation related to defence matters especially while conducting exercises of various types of maintenance/ inspection and testing the preparedness of different weaponry. In fact, in such matters, precision, care, discipline, utmost attention and following of steadfast guidelines in the defence wings are worth emulating and equally impregnable. Still, since all is mostly managed by human beings, sometime an iota of slip can cause incalculable damages. Should any of that unfortunately happen, the same under Defence procedures, is treated very seriously. It may be recalled that on March 9, this year, a Brahmos missile was reported to have been accidentally fired from an Indian station which flew over 120 Kms before landing somewhere in the territory of Pakistan.
It is learnt that the missile, while undergoing “routine maintenance and inspection” is reported to have accidentally gone astray to land in Pakistan. It is further learnt that the missile had not been loaded or armed hence did not cause any damage during or after landing. However, at the same time, it is to be visualised to be appreciated that both sides acted with maturity and also realised the “human error” which being unintentional hence did not lead to any type of escalation between the two nuclear neighbours. India, keeping its high traditions of maintaining good neighbourly relations expressed deep regrets to Pakistan while at the same time, expressing great relief that no lives were caused to be lost in the accidental ”release” of the missile.
However, the Indian government having promised a thorough probe into the matter did in fact institute a high level enquiry to find whether any procedural lapses had taken place though on record neither of the countries initially specifically named the “high speed flying object” but by developing the requisite and necessary protocols over the period to minimise the possibilities of accidents of this type, both countries in fact, demonstrated high levels of maturity and response. However, the Union Ministry of Defence is reported to have terminated the services of the three IAF Officers following the probe which held them responsible for the accidental firing and violating SoPs.
The procedures in defence related incidents and matters of high strategic importance have it that a full fledged Court of Enquiry (CoE) is instituted to ascertain the causes and factors and in the instant case, deviation from the established SOPs having been fully established due to which the accident took place, paved the way for the three officials to face the consequences by losing their jobs.
Since both the countries are nuclear, there are occasions in critical and highly sensitive defence related matters where utmost care, considered response and understanding each other’s view point lead all towards not only minimising but pre-empting of breaking out of any escalating situation between the two countries.
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