India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong diplomatic protest following a collision involving naval units of the two countries in international waters. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the conduct of the Pakistani naval units as "unacceptable and unprofessional" and said the incident led to a collision with a unit of the Indian Navy. The ministry said there was no major damage in the incident. The development comes amid heightened sensitivity in India-Pakistan relations and has prompted New Delhi to seek assurances from Islamabad to prevent a repeat of such an incident.
What happened between the Indian and Pakistani naval units?
According to the MEA, the collision took place in international waters. While the incident did not result in any major damage, India raised concerns over the conduct of the Pakistani naval units and its implications for existing bilateral commitments. "The Charge d'Affaires of the High Commission for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in New Delhi was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs today and a strong protest was lodged with him over the unacceptable and unprofessional conduct of Pakistani naval units at sea that led to a collision with a unit of the Indian Navy," the MEA said. India said the conduct was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements.
India invokes 1991 agreement with Pakistan
The MEA said the Pakistani diplomat was asked to communicate New Delhi's concerns to the relevant authorities in Islamabad. India stressed that military units from both sides must exercise due caution at sea and adhere to the provisions of applicable bilateral agreements to avoid similar incidents in the future.
"The Charge d'Affaires of Pakistan was advised to convey to the concerned Pakistani authorities, 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 added. The 1991 agreement cited by India deals with advance notification of military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements between the two countries. The agreement has previously been invoked in the context of interactions involving Indian and Pakistani military units.
India asks its Islamabad envoy to lodge similar protest
New Delhi has also decided to take up the matter through its diplomatic mission in Pakistan. The MEA said India's Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad has been instructed to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "The Charge d'Affaires of India in Islamabad has also been instructed to lodge a similar protest with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," the MEA said. The MEA has not reported any major damage from the collision. Details about the identities of the vessels involved, the exact circumstances leading to the collision and whether any personnel were injured have not been disclosed.
How the collision happened
According to sources, the Indian warship was deployed for routine surveillance in international waters in the North Arabian Sea on the evening of September 15. During the mission, a Pakistani naval ship reportedly closed in on the Indian vessel and manoeuvred in what Indian sources described as an aggressive and dangerous manner. Despite the movement of the Pakistani vessel, the Indian warship continued with its assigned operational task.
The manoeuvring eventually resulted in a minor collision between the two ships. Sources said there was no indication in the initial account of a major incident involving the Indian vessel, but the episode has raised concerns over safe navigation and professional conduct at sea.
The Pakistani vessel involved has been identified as PNS Hunain, an Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Pakistan Navy. Pakistan commissioned PNS Hunain in July 2024. The vessel was built by Damen Shipyards in Romania and is part of the second batch of Pakistan's Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessels. Pakistan's official information describes it as a multipurpose platform designed for maritime security and a range of naval operations.
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