CNDP Statement on the Recent Mislaunch of Indian Cruise Missile into Pakistan

[Sukla Sen]

The Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), India, expresses its grave concern over the events surrounding the mislaunch of an Indian unarmed supersonic cruise missile that landed in Pakistani territory at around 07.20 pm IST on 09 March 2022.

 

The accident was first brought to light by the Pakistani military establishment through a press conference on the following day (10 March). However, it was only about 48 hours after the incident that the Indian Defence Ministry, through a press statement, chose to confirm the incident describing it as accidental and terming it “deeply regrettable''.

 

News reports suggest that, since India did not alert Pakistan promptly about the mislaunch as per agreed norms, Pakistani forces initially prepared for a retaliatory strike. However, fortunately, saner heads appear to have prevailed, who recognised that the intrusion into their territory by a flying object was likely not deliberate. That the accident fortunately did not cause any loss of life or strike any military installation also must have helped.

 

This incident, regardless, exemplifies the perpetually present dangers of a devastating war, between the two nuclear-armed countries.

 

The CNDP, therefore, demands that the Government of India, as the first step, provide a credible explanation regarding the mislaunch and about its failure to alert the Pakistani Government immediately thereafter in violation of agreed norms.

 

We also urge the governments of India and Pakistan to immediately work out credible and effective confidence building measures (CBMs), revive the multiple channels of communication to avoid any misunderstandings and set up a functioning joint monitoring mechanism to avert the possibility of a disaster arising out of any accident in future.

March 18 2022

[Sukla Sen]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Sukla Sen <sukl...@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Mar 18, 2022, 23:59
Subject: Re: [foil] CNDP Statement on the Recent Mislaunch of Indian Cruise Missile into Pakistan
To: Sekhar Ramakrishnan <sek...@caa.columbia.edu>
Cc: foil-l <foi...@insaf.net>, Discussion list about emerging world social movement <wsm-d...@lists.openspaceforum.net>

Dear Sekhar,

Nice that you've asked.

I. Whether the firing of a rogue missile is a genuine error or not, one can ascertain only after the outcome of a credible enquiry is (made) available.

That's what's not evidently going to happen.

However, on scanning the various reports, video clips and press statements, it appears to me that it was, most likely, something unintended.

However, the possibility of it being done by design to test (i) the responses of Pakistan's installed, and duly programmed, defence/monitoring equipments or/and (ii) the human reactions on its side, can, at this stage, be completely ruled out.

Of course, there's, as yet, no whatever evidence to indicate that.

Seemingly, Pakistan also, now, shares this assessment.

Regardless, not to forget, it has asked for a joint enquiry.

II. As regards your specific query, one may quite confidently conclude, the "failure" to "notify" immediately after the firing is just no mistake, it's simply deliberate.

As regards the motive, I'd like to point out that India has traditionally stonewalled third-party intervention in Indo-Pak disputes on the plea that it's "bilateral". Never mind that the two parties involved are unable to solve by themselves.

To my mind, mainly because India is much the stronger party here.

To be fair, India did reject Trump's offer to mediate between India and China over the border disputes, on the same plea - soon after China rejecting it.

The last time, there was an open third-party involvement, was probably in Tashkent in '64.

But, the two countries used to meet and talk - even if under (behind-the-screen) third-party pressure.

Of late, since even before the 2019 poll, India, emerging much stronger, has virtually stopped dealing with Pakistan, in any meaningful manner - except t operation levels.

In the process, the SAARC has been shoved into deep freezer and a BIMSTEC has been created.

The refusal this time is just of a piece with that.

It's no less than a matter of policy.

That's how I, for one, get it.

In the subject case, of course, the regime has outdone itself; it responded to the incident not only nearly 48 hrs after the incident and a day after the Pakistani press conference demanding an explanation, but, that too, (apparently) just via a press release.

Consequences could very well turn out to be just horrible.

Sukla

On Fri, Mar 18, 2022, 20:23 Sekhar Ramakrishnan <sek...@caa.columbia.edu> wrote:

Dear Sukla, What comes through here, thanks to CNDP's summary, is that there was a very serious error in India not contacting Pakistan immediately. Or, one has to wonder, was it a deliberate provocation by a Hindutva person or group within the Indian military? Regards, Sekhar

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[Sukla Sen]

Sorry!

Please read "Tashkent in '64" as ”Tashkent in '66".

Sukla