India summons Pakistan envoy after naval ships collide in Arabian Sea

New Delhi lodged a strong protest with Pakistan on Sep 16 after a Pakistani naval vessel collided with an Indian Navy unit during an incident in the North Arabian Sea, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) describing the conduct of the Pakistani naval unit as unacceptable and unprofessional.

According to sources, the incident occurred on the evening of Sep 15 when a Pakistani naval vessel approached a frontline Indian Navy warship that was carrying out a routine surveillance mission.

The Pakistani vessel reportedly came close to the Indian ship at high speed and manoeuvred in a manner described as unsafe, resulting in the collision.

The incident took place in international waters, around 220 km east of Oman, according to the sources. No major damage was reported, and the two vessels moved away from each other after the incident.

The MEA said Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi was summoned and a strong protest was lodged over the conduct of Pakistani naval units that led to the collision. The Pakistani diplomat was asked to convey India’s concerns to the relevant authorities in Pakistan.

The ministry said the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan concerning advance notice of military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements. India also called for military units on both sides to exercise due care and follow the provisions of relevant bilateral agreements to avoid similar incidents in the future.

The Charge d’Affaires of India in Islamabad has also been instructed to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the MEA.

Sources cited by media reports said the Pakistani vessel was a Hunain-class corvette, while the type of Indian Navy vessel involved has not been identified. The sources also said sea conditions were rough when the incident occurred.

The Pakistani vessel was reported to have approached the Indian warship without maintaining sufficient distance while crossing. Sources described the manoeuvre as aggressive and intimidatory, while also saying that the Pakistani ship did not slow down before the incident.

The latest incident has a precedent in the maritime interactions between the two countries. A similar incident occurred in June 2011 involving the Pakistan Navy’s Babur and the Indian Navy’s INS Godavari.

The latest incident, however, did not result in any major damage, according to the MEA and sources cited in the reports. India’s diplomatic response followed the collision, with the Pakistani Charge d’Affaires being summoned in New Delhi and India’s representative in Islamabad being instructed to lodge a corresponding protest.