Indian and Pakistani Warships Collide in Arabian Sea; New Delhi Summons Islamabad Envoy
A frontline warship of the Indian Navy and a Pakistan Navy vessel, identified as PNS Hunain, were involved in a minor collision in international waters in the North Arabian Sea. The incident occurred approximately 120 nautical miles off the coast of Oman while the Indian vessel was conducting routine surveillance operations in the region.
According to Indian official sources, the Pakistani corvette approached the Indian warship at high speed and executed unsafe, unprofessional maneuvers, leading to contact between the two vessels. Following the incident, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires Saad Warraich in New Delhi to lodge a strong protest. The MEA highlighted that the reckless operation violated Article 10 of the 1991 bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan, which mandates maintaining safe distances and preventing dangerous close encounters between naval units.
Islamabad also summoned India's diplomatic representative in Pakistan, asserting that the interaction took place within its Exclusive Economic Zone and alleging aggressive maneuvering by the Indian vessel. No major structural damage or personnel injuries were reported by the Indian Navy, and the warship continued its assigned maritime security patrols. Military analysts noted that while maritime friction between the nuclear-armed neighbors raises concerns, both sides are seeking to prevent further tactical escalation.
