No indication Indian missile launch anything other than an accident: US
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price speaks during a news briefing at the department in Washington, US, February 9, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS
The United States said on Monday that it had ‘no indication’ that India's missile launch into Pakistan last week was 'anything other than an accident'.
US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price during a press briefing answered a question about the occurrence and referred the Pakistani journalist to reach out to the Indian Defence Ministry for a “follow-up”.
“We have no indication, as you also heard from our Indian partners, that this incident was anything other than an accident. We refer you, of course, to the Indian Ministry of Defence for any follow-up. They issued a statement on March 9 to explain precisely what had happened,” Price commented, adding that the US did not have a further comment.
The journalist further asked Price whether the US had raised concerns with India regarding uranium theft in the country and the subsequent arrest of seven people suspected to be part of a national gang involved in the illegal trade.
“I’m not familiar with that particular incident”, the spokesperson said, further stating that nuclear safety was an ongoing conversation, particularly for nuclear-armed countries.
India admits to ‘accident’
Last week, India admitted that it accidentally fired a missile into Pakistan and ordered a high-level court of inquiry into the incident that could have led to a major disaster or misunderstanding between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Read Pakistan weighs options if India refuses joint probe into missile fiasco
"On March 9, 2022, in the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile," read a statement issued by the Indian defence ministry in New Delhi.
"The Government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry," it further said.
Following India’s statement, Pakistan sought a joint probe to accurately establish the facts surrounding the “accidental” firing of an Indian missile into its territory, saying that an internal court of inquiry ordered by New Delhi was not sufficient.
“Pakistan calls upon the international community to take serious notice of this incident of grave nature in a nuclearised environment and play its due role in promoting strategic stability in the region,” the Foreign Office said in a statement issued in response to the Indian admission of firing a missile into Pakistan.
The detailed statement contained a list of questions for India to answer.