The United States and China have called for direct dialogue and talks between India and Pakistan, days after New Delhi admitted accidental firing of an unarmed missile that fell into Pakistan. Beijing also calls for "strengthening information sharing" and a "mechanism" to avoid future recurrence.

“We called on relevant countries to have dialogue and communication as soon as possible and launch a thorough investigation into this incident,” Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Beijing. 

Acknowledging both as “important countries in South Asia, bearing responsibility for maintaining security and peace”, China urged the two nations to “strengthen information sharing and establish a notification mechanism in time to avoid the recurrence of such incidents and to prevent miscalculation”.

“We continue to support direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on issues of concern,” said a US State Department official when asked if the United States would urge India and Pakistan to hold direct talks on the recent missile incident and other issues.

India last week regretted the accidental firing of an unarmed missile,  said it had taken a serious view and ordered a court of inquiry in the matter. Meanwhile, Pakistan has called for a joint probe into the incident after the projectile landed 125 km into Pakistani territory and crashed, causing no loss of life but some material damage.

Simultaneously, Islamabad is also trying to rope in western countries, briefing them about the incident, raising the concern about India's  shortcomings and technical lapses in India’s management of strategic weapons. 

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, also spoke to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and raised the missile issue. On Monday, Qureshi also dialed German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and raised the issue with her. 

(SAM)