New Delhi: India has summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest after a Pakistani naval vessel collided with an Indian Navy vessel in international waters in the northern Arabian Sea.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the conduct of the Pakistani naval units as unacceptable and unprofessional. The collision took place on Tuesday, September 15. India said the incident did not cause any major damage.
India has also instructed its Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Pakistan had not immediately issued a public response to India’s account of the incident as of Wednesday.
Indian sources identified the Pakistani vessel as PNS Hunain. The incident took place in international waters in the northern Arabian Sea, about 120 nautical miles from the Gulf of Oman, according to Indian sources.
Indian defence sources said PNS Hunain approached an Indian Navy warship at high speed and was manoeuvring in what India considered an unsafe manner. The two vessels then made contact.
The Pakistani vessel was reportedly damaged in the incident and later headed towards its home port. No damage was reported to the Indian warship, which continued its routine surveillance mission, according to Indian sources.
The Indian government has not publicly identified the Indian naval vessel involved in the collision. It has also not released a detailed reconstruction of the movements of the two vessels immediately before they made contact.
India has linked the incident to the 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements.
India said the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the agreement. The provision requires naval ships and submarines of the two countries operating in international waters to maintain a separation of at least three nautical miles to help prevent accidents.
India has asked Pakistan to ensure that its military units exercise due care and respect the relevant bilateral agreements to prevent similar incidents.
The diplomatic protest comes as relations between India and Pakistan remain strained. The two countries have fought three wars since gaining independence in 1947. Two of those conflicts were linked to the disputed Kashmir region, which both countries claim in full while administering different parts.
Tensions rose sharply again after an attack in Indian administered Kashmir in April 2025 killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India blamed Pakistan for involvement, while Pakistan denied the accusation. The incident was followed by military exchanges between the two countries.
The latest collision also recalls a 2011 incident involving Indian and Pakistani naval vessels in the Gulf of Aden. The Pakistani naval ship PNS Babur came into close contact with the Indian Navy frigate INS Godavari. India subsequently lodged a formal protest and referred to navigational safety concerns and the 1991 bilateral agreement.
The circumstances surrounding the latest collision are not yet fully established publicly. India has provided its account of the incident, while Pakistan had not immediately presented its own version.
The Indian government has not released a detailed independent reconstruction of the collision, and the exact sequence of manoeuvres before the vessels made contact remains unclear.
For now, the confirmed developments are the collision in international waters, the absence of any reported major damage and India’s decision to respond through diplomatic channels. Further details could emerge if Pakistan issues an official response or if either government provides additional information about the incident.