India call violation of Pakistan airspace 'technical'

NEW DELHI: India confirmed on Wednesday that its jets had entered Pakistani airspace, but described the incident as a "technical violation".

The comments come after Pakistan on Tuesday accused Indian jets of briefly violating its airspace, days after India said one of its soldiers had been killed by Pakistani troops.

The jets were taking part in a routine mission along the India-Pakistan border on Tuesday when the incident occurred, Indian Air Force (IAF) spokeswoman Priya Joshi said.

"It is clarified that IAF aircraft which were on a routine flying training sortie seem to have flown close to the border and it appears to be a technical violation," Joshi said in a statement to AFP.

She said the incident has been "conveyed to the Pakistan authorities". An agreement between the rival South Asian neighbours bans their military aircraft from flying within 10 kilometres (six miles) of each other's airspace or initiate cross-border intrusions.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that it had "conveyed serious concern to the Indian High Commission (embassy) over the airspace violation" over its eastern province of Punjab.

Pakistan scrambled two fighter jets after the border crossing by two Indian planes. India accused Pakistan last week of fomenting militancy in the Indian state of Punjab and killing a soldier in cross-border firing. Pakistan rejected both allegations.