New Delhi: India has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with Pakistan after a Pakistani naval vessel collided with an Indian Navy ship in international waters, describing the conduct as “unacceptable and unprofessional”.
The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi and conveyed its concerns over the incident. According to the Indian government, the collision did not result in any major damage, but the conduct of the Pakistani naval unit was considered a violation of a bilateral agreement between the two countries.
India said the incident was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements.
Article 10 requires naval ships and submarines of the two countries to maintain a separation of at least three nautical miles while operating in international waters in order to prevent accidents.
The MEA said Pakistan’s diplomatic representative was asked to convey to the relevant authorities in Islamabad that military units must exercise due care and comply with existing bilateral arrangements to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The latest development comes against the backdrop of continued tensions between India and Pakistan, including disagreements over security and other bilateral issues.
The 1991 agreement has previously been invoked during maritime incidents involving the two navies. In 2011, India had lodged a protest with Pakistan after alleging that Pakistan Navy ship PNS Babur carried out risky manoeuvres involving INS Godavari in international waters. India had cited both navigational safety regulations and Article 10 of the same agreement at the time.
The agreement remains one of the confidence-building mechanisms governing military interactions between the two countries. Its provisions are intended to reduce the possibility of accidental encounters or incidents between their armed forces.
India has now called for greater caution and adherence to the agreed rules at sea, stressing the need to ensure that such an incident is not repeated.
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