New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic escalation, India summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission, Saad Warraich, to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday to lodge a strong protest over a mid-sea collision between naval vessels of the two nations. The incident occurred in the international waters of the North Arabian Sea, prompting swift diplomatic action from New Delhi.
According to official sources, the maritime confrontation took place on the evening of September 15. A frontline Indian Naval warship was executing a routine surveillance mission when a Pakistani Navy offshore patrol vessel, identified as the PNS Hunain, approached at a high speed. Indian officials stated that the Pakistani ship manoeuvred in an “unprofessional and unsafe manner,” resulting in a physical collision between the two military units. While the Indian vessel avoided severe consequences, sources indicate that the Pakistani patrol vessel suffered heavy damage.
The MEA issued a formal demarche to the Pakistani envoy, heavily condemning the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of the Pakistani naval forces. The ministry pointed out that the aggressive maritime behaviour directly violated Article 10 of the April 1991 bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan, which governs advance notices on military exercises, manoeuvres, and troop movements.
“The Pakistani diplomat was advised to convey to the Pakistani authorities concerned the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents,” the MEA stated in an official release. Additionally, the Indian Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad was instructed to register a parallel protest with the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Conversely, Islamabad issued a retaliatory response. The Pakistan Foreign Ministry released a late-evening statement claiming that the Indian vessel had carried out “aggressive manoeuvres” in dangerously close proximity while the Pakistan Navy was conducting its biennial SEASPARK-26 military exercise. Following this, Pakistan summoned the Indian envoy in Islamabad to lodge its own protest, further heightening the diplomatic friction.
This recent clash echoes a similar maritime dispute from 2011, when the Pakistani warship PNS Babur brushed against the Indian frigate INS Godavari during an anti-piracy escort operation for the hijacked merchant vessel MV Suez. As both nations double down on their respective claims, the latest maritime transgression underscores the fragile security dynamics and the persistent need for operational caution in the region.