India Protests Against Pakistani Naval Conduct Following Collision
Diplomatic Tensions Rise After Naval Collision
A fleet of Indian Navy warships at sea. Picture used for representational purpose only. (Photo:@indiannavy/X)
New Delhi, Sep 16: On Wednesday, India summoned the Pakistani Charge d'Affaires (CDA) to express strong disapproval regarding the conduct of a Pakistan Navy vessel that resulted in a collision with an Indian Navy ship in international waters of the Arabian Sea.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that a formal protest was lodged with the CDA, highlighting the unprofessional behavior exhibited by the Pakistani naval units that led to the incident.
The MEA urged the diplomat to relay to the relevant Pakistani authorities the importance of adhering to established protocols and agreements to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Although the collision, which occurred in international waters, did not result in significant damage, the actions of the Pakistani naval ship were deemed a violation of Article 10 of the 1991 agreement between India and Pakistan regarding Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres, and Troop Movements.
This agreement outlines essential safety measures for naval operations in international waters, mandating that Indian and Pakistani naval vessels maintain a minimum distance of three nautical miles to mitigate the risk of accidents.
This is not the first instance of invoking this article; India previously raised concerns in 2011 regarding dangerous maneuvers by the Pakistan Navy's PNS Babur in proximity to the Indian Navy's INS Godavari.
The diplomatic protest has been communicated across the border, with India’s Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad instructed to address the issue with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
While the MEA confirmed the collision and its breach of the bilateral agreement, it has not disclosed the identities of the ships involved or the specifics of how the incident occurred.
With inputs from agencies