Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the September 15 incident occurred inside its exclusive economic zone while the Pakistan Navy was conducting its biennial SEASPARK-26 exercise. It described the action of the vessel from India as “highly provocative and unacceptable” and said it risked escalating tensions.
The diplomatic move followed India’s summons of Pakistan High Commission Charge d’Affaires Saad Warraich in New Delhi earlier on Wednesday. The Ministry of External Affairs protested what it termed the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of Pakistani naval units that led to a collision with a unit of the Indian Navy.
The two governments presented conflicting versions of how the vessels came into contact and where the episode occurred. India said the collision happened in international waters in the North Arabian Sea when a Pakistani naval ship approached a frontline warship engaged in a routine surveillance mission. Pakistan maintained that the encounter occurred within its exclusive economic zone during a notified naval exercise.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry identified the vessels as INS Kolkata and PNS Hunain. It said INS Kolkata and a helicopter deployed from the ship had repeatedly sought to enter the exercise area from September 7 and that warnings had been issued.
According to Islamabad’s account, INS Kolkata carried out dangerous manoeuvres close to Pakistani naval units on September 15 before making what the ministry described as a dangerous change of course. Pakistan said PNS Hunain attempted evasive action but the vessels scraped or collided, after which INS Kolkata increased speed and moved away.
India disputed that sequence. Officials from India said the Pakistani ship approached at high speed and manoeuvred in an unsafe manner, causing a minor collision. New Delhi said there was no major damage and its warship continued its surveillance mission.
Both sides invoked the 1991 Agreement on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements, illustrating the depth of their disagreement over responsibility. India said the conduct of the Pakistani vessel directly contravened Article 10 of the accord, which requires naval ships and submarines of the two countries to maintain a distance of at least three nautical miles from each other in international waters to avoid accidents.
Pakistan said SEASPARK-26 had been under way in its exclusive economic zone since September 1 and argued that INS Kolkata was not on a routine deployment. India rejected that characterisation, maintaining its ship was operating lawfully in international waters and that the Pakistani vessel created the navigational danger at sea.
Pakistan, for its part, said the actions it attributed to INS Kolkata violated international law and the same bilateral agreement. Its Foreign Ministry said the diplomat from India was asked to convey that Pakistan rejected what it called a belligerent action and wanted steps taken to prevent any repetition.
The Ministry of External Affairs said Warraich was advised to convey to authorities in Pakistan that military units must exercise due care and respect bilateral agreements. New Delhi also instructed its Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry.
Islamabad said its Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi would deliver a corresponding demarche to the Ministry of External Affairs. Pakistan also called for adherence to responsible conduct at sea and urged the international community to discourage actions that could destabilise the region.
No major damage or casualties have been officially reported. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the conduct of its navy prevented further escalation, while India said its vessel was undertaking a routine mission when the collision occurred.
The exchange adds a maritime dispute to already strained ties between the two neighbours, whose diplomatic missions have been headed by charges d’affaires rather than ambassadors since relations were downgraded in 2019.
