MOSCOW, Oct 16: An Indian mortar system landed just metres from Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and his Indian counterpart on Sunday while they watched joint military exercises in western India, Russian news agencies said.

The mortar system, parachuted from an Indian aircraft, was shown on Russian television as it approached the ground near the platform where Ivanov and Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee were sitting, Itar-Tass reported.

Journalists and soldiers were shown running for cover but Ivanov, a former spy, and Mr Mukherjee remained seated.

Ivanov brushed off the incident and praised the Indian Air Force for such accuracy.

“Today an artillery system of India’s airborne forces landed right between two sand-dunes which is the ideal concealment from the enemy. So I raise my cap to Indian pilots,” Ivanov said.—Reuters