NEW DELHI. India fired three air force officers blamed for the “accidental” launch of a supersonic missile that entered Pakistan 125 kilometers from the border last March, exacerbating historic tensions between the two neighboring countries.
This was announced by the military aviation yesterday evening. Delhi initially blamed a technical malfunction during a routine inspection for the “unfortunate incident” and then launched an internal investigation into the secret military base from which the missile was fired. In the statement yesterday, the Air Force said the three officers were found guilty of serious violations of standard procedures.
Pakistan had claimed that the incident damaged private property and requested a joint review through a subpoena from the ambassador, which India refused. The missile was of the BrahMos type, which could be launched from the ground, from an airplane or from a ship or submarine, was also capable of carrying nuclear warheads and could fly at Mach 3, three times the speed of sound. Produced jointly by India and Russia, its name pays homage to the two great rivers, the Indian Brahmaputra and the Russian Moscova.