India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest after a Pakistani naval vessel collided with an Indian Navy warship in international waters in the North Arabian Sea.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the incident took place on Tuesday, September 15, when a Pakistani naval vessel approached an Indian Navy unit operating on a routine surveillance mission. Indian officials described the Pakistani vessel's conduct at sea as "unacceptable and unprofessional" and said it resulted in the collision.
The MEA said the incident did not cause any major damage. However, India raised concerns over the manner in which the Pakistani naval unit was operating and summoned the Pakistani Charge d'Affaires to convey a strong diplomatic protest.
The ministry said the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the April 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements. The provision requires naval ships and submarines of the two countries to maintain a distance of at least three nautical miles while operating in international waters to prevent accidents.
The Pakistani diplomat was asked to convey to the concerned authorities the need for all military units to exercise due care and comply with relevant bilateral agreements to prevent any recurrence of such incidents.
India has also instructed its Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the MEA said.
Reports identified the Pakistani vessel as PNS Hunain and said the collision occurred about 120 nautical miles from the Gulf of Oman. Sources said the Pakistani vessel sustained damage, while the Indian warship remained operational and continued its surveillance mission.
There has been no immediate public response from the Pakistani government to India's protest.
The incident has added a fresh diplomatic strain to India-Pakistan relations, although Indian officials have described the episode in terms of maritime safety and compliance with existing bilateral arrangements rather than as a deliberate act of aggression.
