New Delhi: In a clear display of unprovoked hostility a Pakistan Navy platform collided with an Indian Navy warship in international waters in the Northern Arabian Sea on the evening of September 15.
New Delhi summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires to register a protest. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Pakistani diplomat Saad Ahmad Warraich was called in to lodge a strong protest over what New Delhi called “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of Pakistani naval units in international waters that led to a collision.
The MEA, in a statement, said the incident took place in international waters and did not cause any major damage.
However, the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the 1991 agreement between India and Pakistan governing advance notice of military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements, the ministry noted.
“The Charge d’Affaires of Pakistan was advised to convey to the concerned Pakistani authorities the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents,” it said.
The Pakistani diplomat was also directed to further convey India’s message to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Charge d’Affaires of India in Islamabad has also been instructed to lodge a similar protest with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the statement added.
According to sources, the Pakistani vessel came close to a frontline Indian warship on a routine surveillance mission in the North Arabian Sea. They said the Pakistani warship ‘grazed’ past the Indian warship approximately 220 kilometers east of Oman.
The Pakistani vessel came at high speed, maneuvering in an unprofessional and unsafe manner, which led to a collision. “No damage has been reported in the incident,” the sources said, as reported by NDTV.
The type of platforms involved in the incident has not been identified as yet. Sources said both ships were moved away after the incident.
This is the second time something like this has happened. In June 2011, Pakistani naval ship Babur had collided with the INS Godavari.