A Pakistani naval vessel collided with an Indian Navy warship in international waters in the North Arabian Sea on September 15, prompting New Delhi to summon Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires and lodge a strong diplomatic protest. The incident reportedly occurred while the Indian vessel was carrying out a routine surveillance mission.
According to Indian officials, the Pakistani vessel approached the Indian warship at high speed and manoeuvred in what New Delhi described as an unsafe and unprofessional manner, resulting in the collision. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said the incident did not cause any major damage. mint
The MEA 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 agreement forms part of bilateral confidence-building measures intended to reduce the risk of misunderstandings involving the armed forces of the two countries.
Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires, Saad Ahmad Warraich, was summoned to the Indian Foreign Ministry, where New Delhi conveyed its objections. India asked him to communicate to the relevant Pakistani authorities the need for military units to exercise due care and comply with existing bilateral agreements to prevent similar incidents in the future.
India has also instructed its Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The diplomatic exchanges come amid longstanding tensions between the two neighbouring countries, adding significance to an incident involving their naval forces in international waters.
Details surrounding the precise circumstances of the collision remain under discussion, but Indian officials have indicated that there were no reports of major damage. The incident is likely to draw further attention to maritime safety and the need for adherence to established protocols between the two countries.
