Military experts have in the past warned of the risk of accidents or miscalculations by the neighbours, which have fought three wars and engaged in numerous smaller armed clashes, usually over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

The BrahMos missile – a nuclear-capable, land attack cruise missile jointly developed by Russia and India – was fired on March 9, prompting Pakistan to seek answers from New Delhi on the safety mechanisms in place to prevent accidental launches.

“A court of inquiry, set up to establish the facts of the case, including fixing responsibility for the incident, found that deviation from the standard operating procedures by three officers led to the accidental firing of the missile,” the air force said in a statement.

It said the government had dismissed the three officers with immediate effect today.

According to the US-based Arms Control Association, the BrahMos missile’s range is between 300km and 500km, making it capable of hitting Pakistan’s capital Islamabad from a northern Indian launch pad.