Pakistani Naval Ship Collides With Indian Warship in Arabian Sea, Delhi Summons Envoy

Yugcharan News / 18-09-2026

New Delhi has summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires and lodged a strong diplomatic protest following a collision between a Pakistani naval vessel and an Indian Navy warship in the North Arabian Sea. India described the conduct of the Pakistani naval unit as “unacceptable and unprofessional” and said the incident was in violation of provisions contained in the 1991 agreement between the two countries governing advance notice of military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the incident took place in international waters and did not result in any major damage. The ministry said the Pakistani naval vessel’s conduct was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the April 1991 agreement between India and Pakistan. The Indian government has urged Pakistan to ensure that its military units exercise due caution and respect existing bilateral arrangements to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

The incident took place on the evening of September 15, according to sources cited in the report. A Pakistani naval vessel reportedly approached a frontline Indian Navy warship that was carrying out a routine surveillance mission in the North Arabian Sea. Sources said the Pakistani vessel moved at high speed and manoeuvred close to the Indian ship in what they described as an unsafe manner, resulting in the collision.

The exact identities of the vessels involved had not been officially disclosed at the time of the report. Sources, however, indicated that the Pakistani vessel was a Hunain-class corvette. They said the seas were rough when the incident occurred and that both ships were subsequently moved away from the immediate area. No damage was reported in the initial account of the incident.

India Summons Pakistan’s Diplomat

Following the incident, Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires, Saad Ahmad Warraich, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. The Indian government conveyed a strong protest over what it described as the conduct of Pakistani naval units at sea.

The MEA said the Pakistani diplomat was instructed to convey to the relevant authorities in Islamabad that all military units must observe due care and follow the provisions of bilateral agreements. The objective, according to the ministry, was to ensure that similar incidents do not occur again.

India also directed its Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The step indicates that New Delhi treated the incident as a matter requiring formal diplomatic communication between the two governments rather than limiting the response to military channels.

The Pakistani diplomat reportedly remained at the Ministry of External Affairs’ Janpath office for around 30 minutes after being summoned.

The incident comes in a maritime environment where naval vessels from both countries operate in waters of strategic importance. The North Arabian Sea is an important shipping and energy corridor, with commercial and military traffic moving through the wider region. Any close encounter between naval vessels therefore carries implications for navigational safety and the need for established communication and operating protocols.

What Happened at Sea

According to sources cited in the report, the collision occurred when the Pakistani naval vessel came close to an Indian frontline warship that was conducting a routine surveillance operation. The Pakistani ship was said to have approached at high speed and manoeuvred in a manner described by Indian sources as unsafe.

The two vessels reportedly came into contact approximately 220 kilometres east of Oman. The incident occurred in international waters, according to the Indian Foreign Ministry.

Indian officials maintained that the conduct of the Pakistani vessel violated the understanding between the two countries on military activities and movements. The 1991 agreement was designed to establish mechanisms for advance notification of military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements, helping reduce the possibility of misunderstandings or unintended confrontations between the armed forces of India and Pakistan.

The MEA specifically referred to Article 10 of the agreement while raising its objection with Pakistan. India said military units from both sides must respect relevant agreements and maintain appropriate caution while operating in proximity to one another.

At the time of the initial report, no major damage had been reported. Sources also said the ships were separated following the incident.

Similar Incident in 2011

The latest collision has a precedent involving Indian and Pakistani naval vessels. According to the report, a similar incident occurred in June 2011 involving the Pakistan Navy’s Babur and the Indian Navy’s INS Godavari.

The earlier incident took place during a period when naval movements in the region were also under close observation. The recurrence of a naval collision between vessels from the two countries has brought renewed attention to the importance of maintaining safe distances, following maritime procedures and adhering to bilateral arrangements.

While the latest incident was not reported as causing major damage, the diplomatic response from New Delhi underlined the seriousness with which India viewed the conduct of the Pakistani naval unit.

Diplomatic Protest From Both Sides

India’s decision to summon Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires was followed by instructions for its own diplomatic representative in Islamabad to lodge a corresponding protest. Subsequent reporting indicated that Pakistan also issued its own diplomatic response and disputed India’s account of the incident, highlighting that the two sides had differing descriptions of what happened at sea.

The competing accounts mean that the circumstances surrounding the collision remain contested. India has maintained that the incident occurred in international waters and that the Pakistani vessel approached its warship in an unsafe manner. Pakistan, in its response, disputed India’s version and raised its own objections regarding the conduct of the Indian vessel.

Against this backdrop, the invocation of the 1991 agreement is significant because the framework was created specifically to reduce the risks associated with military exercises and movements involving the two countries.

Focus on Preventing a Repeat

The Indian Foreign Ministry’s immediate emphasis was on ensuring that such an incident does not happen again. Rather than announcing any military response, New Delhi called for greater caution by military units and adherence to bilateral commitments.

The MEA said the Pakistani diplomat had been asked to communicate the need for all military units to exercise due care and respect the relevant agreements between India and Pakistan. India also conveyed the same concern through its diplomatic representative in Islamabad.

The incident highlights the importance of navigational discipline when naval vessels operate in the same maritime region. Even when a collision does not result in major damage, an unexpected encounter involving frontline warships can create diplomatic complications, particularly between countries with a history of military tensions.

For now, the Indian government has formally recorded its protest and sought assurances regarding adherence to established agreements. The exact circumstances surrounding the collision and the actions of the two vessels remain subject to the competing accounts issued by the two sides.

The episode also serves as a reminder of the role of established military-to-military and diplomatic communication mechanisms in preventing maritime incidents from developing into broader disputes. With both countries maintaining naval operations in strategically important waters, adherence to agreed procedures remains central to avoiding further confrontations at sea.