Tensions ran high in the corridors of diplomacy on Wednesday after an encounter between naval vessels in the North Arabian Sea escalated into a direct diplomatic standoff. The incident unfolded on the evening of Tuesday, September 15, when a frontline Indian Navy warship engaged in a routine surveillance mission crossed paths with a Pakistani naval vessel.

Sources revealed that the contact occurred in international waters roughly 220 kilometers east of Oman, where sea conditions were notably rough. According to sources citing the operational log, the Pakistani vessel—believed to be a Hunain-class corvette—approached at high speed and initiated reckless movements before it grazed past the Indian frontline unit. Describing the maneuvers as erratic and dangerous, military sources noted that "The Pakistani Navy was both aggressive, intimidatory, and unprofessional, not knowing how to show down in rough seas." Although both vessels separated shortly after contact and sources confirmed that "No damage has been reported in the incident," the hazardous proximity immediately triggered alarm bells across India’s security apparatus.

Following the sea altercation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) moved quickly to formally register India's grievance. Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry’s Janpath office on Wednesday. The meeting lasted approximately 30 minutes, during which Indian officials lodged a vehement protest over what New Delhi categorized as "unacceptable and unprofessional conduct" by Pakistani naval forces in international waters that culminated in a collision.Pakistani Vessel Hits Indian Navy Ship, Delhi Summons High Envoy

New Delhi: Diplomatic friction between India and Pakistan intensified on Wednesday after New Delhi summoned Islamabad's top diplomat following an incident at sea where a Pakistani naval unit collided with an Indian frontline warship. The Ministry of External Affairs called in Pakistani diplomat Saad Ahmad Warraich, who is the Charge d'Affaires in the national capital, to record an official and strong objection over the episode. The ministry characterized the maneuvers at sea as "unacceptable and unprofessional conduct" carried out by Pakistani maritime forces in international waters.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement detailing that the contact occurred well out in international waters and confirmed that it did not result in major destruction to the Indian vessel. However, Indian authorities underscored that the dangerous navigation violated standing bilateral commitments. Specifically, the ministry noted 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.

Reiterating the seriousness of the breach, 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 diplomat was told to immediately forward this message to his leadership back in Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Reciprocal diplomatic measures were set into motion right away, as New Delhi directed its own mission across the border to follow up. "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. Warraich arrived at the Foreign Ministry’s Janpath office in New Delhi and held discussions for about thirty minutes before leaving.

Details of the High-Seas Incident

According to sources, the encounter took place on Tuesday evening, September 15, when a Pakistani military vessel ventured excessively close to a frontline Indian naval unit conducting a regular surveillance operation in the North Arabian Sea. Insiders reported that the Pakistani unit grazed past the Indian ship roughly 220 kilometers east of Oman.

The naval vessel from Pakistan was running at high speed and executed unsafe, erratic movements that culminated in direct physical contact with the Indian warship. "No damage has been reported in the incident," said sources, explaining that while actual physical contact took place, the integrity of the Indian vessel remained intact.

While neither navy has officially released the operational names of the specific ships involved, maritime sources pointed out that the vessel in question was a Pakistani Hunain-class corvette operating in close quarters with an Indian frontline warship. The incident unfolded amid rough, choppy waters, creating a volatile setting before both vessels eventually maneuvered away from each other. Describing the encounter, sources remarked: "The Pakistani Navy was both aggressive, intimidatory, and unprofessional, not knowing how to show down in rough seas," they said.

This event marks the second documented confrontation of its nature between the two naval forces. A similar brush occurred in June 2011 involving the Pakistani warship PNS Babur and the Indian frigate INS Godavari.

The formal stance articulated by the Ministry of External Affairs emphasized the legal and procedural breaches committed during the maneuver. The MEA made it clear that "While the incident, which took place in international waters, did not cause any major damage, the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements of April 1991," the MEA said in a statement. The ministry repeated its warning to ensure that the command structures on the Pakistani side enforce professional seafaring practices: "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.

Close naval encounters between both sides have a fraught history in the waters of the Arabian Sea. During the 2011 maritime episode connected to the MV Suez escort operation, a substantial diplomatic disagreement flared up between both capitals. Admiral Nirmal Verma, who was the Chief of Naval Staff at the time, pointed out that the Pakistani warship PNS Babur had come "much closer" than was prudent, damaging a helicopter net on INS Godavari. He said the Indian crew had acted "very professionally" and stressed that "there are clear rules of navigation at sea".

Understanding the 1991 Maritime and Military Accord

The 1991 bilateral agreement established clear ground rules requiring prior communication regarding sizable armed drills, troop adjustments, and coordinated maneuvers. The treaty requires the ground, naval, and air forces of both countries to avoid conducting large-scale exercises right next to each other's boundaries. Whenever exercises are held within clearly demarcated geographical boundaries, the main force cannot be directed towards the other side and there should be no logistical build-up close to it.

For land armies, formations matching or exceeding a full division face strict prohibitions within five kilometers of designated sectors along the International Border, the Line of Control, and the specific zone between the Manawar Tawi and Ravi rivers. The pact further mandates advance communication whenever division-level operations occur in specified areas, corps-level maneuvers within seventy-five kilometers, and any activity beyond corps size irrespective of distance.

For maritime commands, any operation that involves six or more destroyer- or frigate-sized ships crossing into the other country's Exclusive Economic Zone falls strictly within the scope of the treaty. Aerial drills held at the regional command level or larger are likewise regulated under the terms of the 1991 framework.