India says reviewing operating steps after missile accidentally fired into Pakistan

India is conducting a review of its procedures for operations, maintenance and inspection of weapons systems after accidentally launching a missile into Pakistan last week, its defense minister said on Tuesday.

“We attach the highest priority to the safety and security of our weapon systems. If any shortcoming is found, it would be immediately rectified,” Rajnath Singh told parliament.

India accidentally released a missile, which landed in Pakistan, about 7 p.m. last Wednesday during routine maintenance and inspection, he said.

Pakistan has asked for a joint probe into the incident, and demanded clarification from New Delhi over its safety mechanism to prevent accidental missile launches and urged the international community to help maintain regional stability.

Although tensions between two countries have calmed in recent months, military experts have previously warned of the risk of accidents or miscalculations by the nuclear-armed arch rivals, which have fought three wars.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said at a news conference that the statement was “incomplete and insufficient.”

“Pakistan cannot be satisfied by the explanation given, and I reject it,” he said, adding that Islamabad wanted a joint probe.

China urged the South Asian neighbors to set up a reporting mechanism to avoid such incidents and share information, said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman of its foreign ministry.

“Pakistan and India are both important countries in South Asia, bearing responsibilities for maintaining regional security and stability,” he told reporters on Monday.

While Pakistan appreciated China’s statement, Qureshi said that the US State Department spokesperson had “skirted the issue” a day earlier and had not taken a position on the matter, which he stressed could have lead to war.

He added he had written to the UN Security Council too, but said the international community was not taking the matter seriously enough.

Delivering short statements in both houses of India’s parliament, Singh said the safety procedures and protocols for the country's missile systems were of the highest standard and reviewed periodically.

“I can assure the House that the missile system is veryreliable and safe,” he said, without saying which missile had been accidentally launched.

India has started a high-level inquiry into the accident, which did not lead to any injuries or deaths, Singh said.

“Moreover, our safety procedures and protocols are of the highest order and are reviewed from time to time,” Singh said.