An Indian naval vessel and a Pakistani naval unit collided in international waters in the northern Arabian Sea on September 15, prompting New Delhi to summon Pakistan’s top diplomat and lodge a formal protest over what it described as “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” at sea.
According to Indian officials, the incident occurred while a frontline Indian warship was carrying out a routine surveillance mission. Indian sources said the Pakistani vessel approached at high speed and moved dangerously close before the two ships collided. No major damage was reported, and there were no immediate reports of casualties. India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the incident a day later and said Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in New Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, had been summoned over the episode.
New Delhi said the encounter violated a 1991 bilateral agreement governing military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements between the two countries. Article 10 of that agreement states that Indian and Pakistani naval ships and submarines should not come within three nautical miles of each other while operating in international waters, specifically to avoid accidents. India said the Pakistani unit’s conduct was in direct violation of that provision and urged Islamabad to ensure greater caution during future operations.
India has also instructed its diplomatic mission in Islamabad to raise the matter with Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry. Pakistan had not immediately issued a public response to India’s allegations.
The collision comes against an already tense backdrop in India-Pakistan relations. The two nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since independence and experienced another sharp military confrontation last year following the killing of 26 Hindu tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir. India firmly blamed Pakistan-based militants for the attack and carried out retaliatory military action.
The latest incident also has precedent at sea. In 2011, the Indian Navy’s INS Godavari and Pakistan’s PNS Babur came into contact while operating near the merchant vessel MV Suez. Both sides blamed the other for unsafe manoeuvring, and the encounter also raised questions about compliance with the 1991 naval safety agreement.
For now, there is no indication that the latest collision caused serious damage or escalated beyond diplomatic protest. But the incident has again drawn attention to the rules designed to prevent close encounters between the two navies from turning into larger crises, particularly when military relations between India and Pakistan remain strained.
