India has summoned Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires to lodge a strong protest after a Pakistani naval ship collided with an Indian Navy vessel during routine operations in international waters.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of the Pakistani naval unit, noting that the Indian warship suffered no damage during the high-seas encounter.
The incident occurred on the evening of September 15 in the North Arabian Sea, where the Indian Navy warship was executing a routine surveillance mission. According to official sources, the Pakistani naval vessel approached the Indian ship at high speed before colliding with it. Despite the close-quarters contact, prompt measures ensured that the Indian warship escaped uninjured.
In a formal statement, New Delhi highlighted that the aggressive manoeuvre was in “direct contravention” of Article 10 of the 1991 bilateral agreement governing military operations between the two neighbours. Article 10 establishes explicit safety guidelines for naval vessels and submarines operating in international waters, strictly mandating a minimum separation distance of at least three nautical miles (approximately 5.6 kilometres) to prevent accidental collisions.
The diplomatic rebuke instructed Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires to convey India’s serious concerns to authorities in Islamabad, emphasising the imperative for all military units to exercise due care and adhere to bilateral safety protocols.
The high-seas collision occurs against a backdrop of heightened regional tension following last year’s Operation Sindoor. This is not the first time aggressive tactics have been reported in international waters; a similar incident occurred 15 years ago in 2011, when the Pakistani naval vessel PNS Babur brushed past the flight deck net of INS Godavari in the Gulf of Aden.
