India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan after a Pakistani naval ship collided with an Indian Navy warship in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi over what it termed the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of Pakistani naval units at sea.
According to sources, the Pakistani naval ship closed in at high speed on an Indian Navy warship that was on a routine surveillance mission in the northern part of the Arabian Sea. The Pakistani vessel was manoeuvring in what Indian officials described as an unprofessional and unsafe manner, leading to the collision. No major damage has been reported from the incident, which took place in international waters.
The MEA said the conduct of the Pakistani ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the April 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements. The agreement lays down protocols for the conduct of military units to prevent incidents at sea and along borders.
The Pakistani diplomat was advised to convey to authorities in Islamabad the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of relevant bilateral agreements to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, the MEA said.
India has also instructed its own Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The incident comes at a time of elevated tensions between the two countries and adds a naval dimension to an already complex security relationship. While collisions and close encounters between military vessels of rival nations are not uncommon in contested waters, India’s decision to summon Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi signals the seriousness with which it views the episode.
The MEA’s use of the phrase “unacceptable and unprofessional” indicates that India sees the Pakistani vessel’s actions not as accidental but as a deliberate breach of established maritime protocols.
(Source: The Tribune)
