India protests Pakistani naval collision in the Arabian Sea

India has summoned Pakistan's top diplomat in New Delhi after saying a Pakistani naval ship collided with an Indian warship in the Arabian Sea. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said the incident took place in international waters the previous day. It said the collision involved naval units from both countries and prompted an immediate diplomatic protest.

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According to the ministry, the Pakistani vessel struck an Indian Navy ship on Tuesday, and the matter was raised with Pakistan's charge d'affaires at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on Wednesday. India said it had lodged a formal protest and described the conduct as unacceptable and unprofessional. It also said the incident breached a 1991 bilateral agreement requiring naval ships and submarines from both sides to remain at least three nautical miles apart in international waters.

The ministry said India's charge d'affaires in Islamabad had also been instructed to deliver a similar protest to Pakistan's foreign ministry. There was no immediate comment from Pakistan's government. The Indian side said it had asked Pakistan to ensure military units respect existing agreements to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

The episode matters because it adds to already strained relations between two nuclear-armed neighbours that have fought three major wars since independence in 1947. The two countries have not had ambassadors in each other's capitals since 2019, when diplomatic ties were downgraded after New Delhi revoked the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir. The latest maritime incident therefore carries significance beyond the immediate collision, because it touches on military discipline, crisis management and the risk of escalation at sea.

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The row also comes after what India described as the first direct military tension between the two countries since a four-day conflict last year. That context makes the naval collision more sensitive, even though the current account is limited to a single incident in international waters. The 1991 separation agreement cited by India is intended to reduce the chance of accidental contact between naval forces operating near each other.

What remains unclear is whether Pakistan will confirm India's account or offer its own version of events. It is also not known whether the collision caused damage or injuries, as no such details were provided in the available material. For now, the main development is the diplomatic protest, and the next point to watch is whether either side issues a formal response or takes further steps to manage the dispute.

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