NEW DELHI: A Pakistani naval ship collided with a frontline Indian Navy warship in the North Arabian Sea on September 15, prompting India to summon Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi and lodge a strong protest over what the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described as “unacceptable” and “unprofessional” conduct by Pakistani naval units.
The collision took place in international waters when a Pakistan Naval Ship came close to an Indian naval warship that was carrying out a routine surveillance mission in the North Arabian Sea. According to sources, the Pakistani naval vessel was travelling at high speed and manoeuvring in an unsafe and unprofessional manner before the two naval ships collided.
No major damage was reported following the collision, according to the MEA. The identities of the Indian and Pakistani naval ships involved have not been disclosed.
The incident has nevertheless triggered a diplomatic response from India, with New Delhi raising concerns over the conduct of the Pakistani naval vessel and its implications for maritime safety between the two countries.
India summons Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires over naval collision
On September 16, India summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to the MEA and lodged a strong protest over the conduct of Pakistani naval units that led to the collision with an Indian Navy unit. The development places the naval incident directly in the India-Pakistan diplomatic channel.
The MEA said the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements, signed in April 1991.
While the collision occurred in international waters and did not cause any major damage, India stressed the need for military units of both countries to exercise due care and comply with relevant bilateral agreements.
The Pakistani Charge d’Affaires was asked to convey India’s concerns to the concerned authorities in Pakistan. The MEA specifically advised that all military units should observe due caution and respect the provisions of relevant agreements between India and Pakistan to prevent a 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 collision comes against the backdrop of heightened sensitivity in India-Pakistan relations, making the conduct of naval ships and the observance of maritime safety protocols particularly significant. For now, India has focused its response on the reported conduct of the Pakistani naval vessel, the 1991 agreement and the need to prevent similar incidents at sea.
