Indian missile landing into Pakistan territory had the potential to be detrimental. Fortunately for Pakistan, an Indian missile was landed near Mian Channu with no loss of life. However, a commercial airplane going over Pakistan at such a high altitude may have been targeted by the missile, resulting in significant damage. If it had impacted a densely populated area, it is possible that a great number of people would have died and their homes would have been destroyed. In the military, it is possible that misinterpretations and misunderstandings caused a crisis that resulted in the deaths of numerous service members as well as innocent citizens of a country.
It is acknowledged that an accident happened, but there is no effort to explain how such a fatal “mishap” could have occurred. The Indian letter also falls short of conveying heartfelt apologies to Pakistan in an unambiguous way. Ever since this incident took place, Pakistan has demanded that India explain how it occurred and what steps India is taking to ensure that it does not happen again in the same manner. Meanwhile, Pakistan should evaluate its own defenses to see if they may be enhanced in the event of another such incident.
Read more: Looking at India and Pakistan’s nuclear arsenals
Understanding the matter better
While discussing these events, keep in mind that relations between nuclear-armed nations, India and Pakistan, have been deteriorating for some time. Plus, incidents of this kind demonstrate that India’s technology and safety laws fall short of international standards. Putting pressure on India to be more transparent about its nuclear programme should come from not just Pakistan, but also the rest of the world.
As a result of this missile failure, India’s defence systems are either ineffective or vulnerable to attack. For other nations to be obligated to guarantee that India’s networks are safe and secure, there should be some need. In light of India’s inability to maintain the accurate functioning of its strategic nuclear weapons, Pakistanis have a right to be notified of this information. This event is an excellent way to demonstrate to India and Pakistan that a nuclear-armed South Asia is a dangerous place for such accidents. As a serious concern, it should not be seen as a small oversight that can be resolved by consulting with a lawyer in private. It is essential for nuclear-armed Pakistan and India to keep lines of communication open in order to prevent having to deal with crises once again.
What role other countries are playing in this fiasco?
The United States and China have pushed India and Pakistan to have face-to-face talks in order to defuse tensions between the two nuclear-weapons-armed states. When asked if the United States will endeavour to broker a face-to-face meeting between India and Pakistan, a State Department official said that such a meeting should take place. Following Pakistan’s request for a joint investigation into what occurred, officials from China’s Foreign Ministry stated that they were willing to cooperate. They went on to say that both nations must speak with one another about everything.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, criticized India’s revised justification for the missile launch into Pakistani territory and stressed that the situation was much too critical to be treated lightly. Commanding officers in the Pakistani Army expressed alarm over the situation, claiming that it may jeopardise “regional peace and security.” The evidence presented by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in the Lok Sabha, according to Mr. Qureshi, was “inadequate.” In addition, he stated that Pakistan will not tolerate such mediocre responses.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan’s foreign minister, contacted UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the president of the Security Council. After learning that the occurrence may have ended in a nuclear war between two nuclear powers, both were taken aback by the prospect. Mr. Qureshi said that the State Department failed to take a clear position despite the gravity of the situation.
Read more: What led to the great divide of India and Pakistan?
It is, in the meantime, necessary to reach a bilateral agreement on cruise missile pre-notification. To avoid a repetition of the events that occurred between India and Pakistan, stricter and more specific legislation is essential. Weak leadership and miscalculations may cause both countries to make mistakes in the future, which may result in even more disasters. Even if each nation has its own unique traits, history, and freedom to disagree on many matters, a new approach to stopping a nuclear war is required.
The author holds an MPhil in Strategic & Nuclear Studies and is a freelance contributor to national and international media. He can be reached at mshoaib40@gmail.com. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.