New Delhi: In a major diplomatic development, India summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi on Wednesday and lodged a strong protest over a mid-sea collision involving naval vessels of the two countries.
The incident occurred on the evening of September 15 when a frontline Indian Naval warship was on a routine surveillance mission in the international waters of the North Arabian Sea. According to official sources, a Pakistani naval ship approached the Indian vessel at high speed and manoeuvred in an “unprofessional and unsafe manner,” eventually leading to a collision between the two units. Fortunately, no major damage or casualties were reported.
Issuing a formal statement, the MEA condemned the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of the Pakistani naval units. The ministry highlighted that the reckless manoeuvring was a direct violation of bilateral confidence-building measures.
“While the incident, which took place in international waters, did not cause any major damage, 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 of April 1991,” the MEA stated.
During the summons, the Pakistani envoy was firmly advised to convey New Delhi’s concerns to the relevant authorities in Islamabad. The MEA stressed the necessity for all military units to exercise due care and respect the provisions of established bilateral agreements to prevent the recurrence of such dangerous episodes.
Furthermore, the diplomatic protest was not restricted to New Delhi. The Indian government has instructed its Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to register a parallel protest with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
This is not the first time such an aggressive naval encounter has occurred between the two neighbours. A similar diplomatic row erupted in 2011 when the Pakistani warship PNS Babur brushed past the Indian frigate INS Godavari, damaging its helicopter safety nets while both ships were escorting the hijacked merchant vessel MV Suez.
By taking swift and formal diplomatic action, New Delhi has made it clear that it views the latest maritime transgression with utmost seriousness amidst the longstanding military tensions in the region.