Editorial: Misguided missile

In a world where nuclear weapons are a reality, it just takes one misstep or an accident to trigger a catastrophe. The recent incident of a technical malfunction that led to the accidental firing of an unarmed Indian missile highlights the dangers in handling the missile assets. Fortunately, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which had […]

In a world where nuclear weapons are a reality, it just takes one misstep or an accident to trigger a catastrophe. The recent incident of a technical malfunction that led to the accidental firing of an unarmed Indian missile highlights the dangers in handling the missile assets. Fortunately, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which had landed in Pakistan’s Punjab province, did not cause any human loss. While New Delhi has deeply regretted the incident, attributing it to a technical malfunction during a routine maintenance exercise and ordered a high-level inquiry, Islamabad has demanded a joint probe into the matter. A comprehensive and transparent investigation is needed to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in future. India and Pakistan must begin a serious dialogue to reduce the nuclear risks. It is baffling how a supersonic missile got fired accidentally as the system has several mechanical and software safety mechanisms to prevent any kind of accidental firing. There are multiple steps of clearance, including the entry of certain codes before the countdown starts, after which the missile goes into auto mode. It was a practice missile, which meant that everything was exactly the same as an armed BrahMos missile except for the warhead. The malfunction that sent the supersonic missile 124 km inside Pakistani territory had the potential to escalate into a full-scale crisis, but it must be said to the credit of the two nuclear-armed neighbours that they have maintained restraint and avoided jingoistic posturing. The reaction time in the event of missile launches between the two neighbours is only a matter of minutes. This makes the conflict escalation a real danger.

The missile incident, however, raised many questions about India’s security protocols and technical safeguards against accidental or unauthorised missiles. It had all the makings of a huge India-Pakistan crisis. If human error is to blame, then the operational, command and control procedures must be reviewed. On the other hand, a technical glitch of this nature will cast doubts over the weapon system itself, especially at a time when India is looking to export BrahMos to countries like the Philippines. India finds itself in an embarrassing situation and the only way out is to ensure a transparent and time-bound probe to allay Pakistan’s apprehensions, failing which the malicious propaganda unleashed against India will gain ground and hurt the country’s international image. Given the fact that the two countries have had no interactions at the political level for several years, have a scaled-down diplomatic presence in the two capitals, no official-level meetings to discuss conventional or nuclear confidence-building measures, and political leaders are constantly attacking each other, it is a big relief that the incident did not result in a major conflict. It comes at a time when Imran Khan is battling for his political survival, ahead of the opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion.

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