On Friday, India dismissed allegations from regarding an alleged collision between a Pakistani vessel and an Indian Navy warship in the Arabian Sea.
On Wednesday, the Indian government summoned the Pakistani Charge d’Affaires (CDA) and lodged a strong protest over the “unacceptable conduct” by the Pakistan Navy vessel that led to the collision.
The Indian Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad has also been instructed to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported ANI.
A collision took place between and PNS Hunain in the Arabian Sea.
The incident took place on Tuesday night, reported PTI. It is reported that the Pakistani vessel closed in on the frontline Indian Navy warship that was on a routine surveillance mission in the north Arabian Sea.
The Pakistani foreign ministry alleged that the incident happened after what they called a “highly provocative and unacceptable action” by the Indian vessel in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“We have seen Pakistan’s response to the protest we had lodged. It is the usual prevarication that we expected. We reject the allegations and insinuations contained therein,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during his media briefing, as per PTI.
Jaiswal asserted that the Indian ship INS Kolkata was on a routine deployment in the western Arabian Sea when Pakistani naval ship Hunain conducted itself in an “unacceptable and unprofessional manner”, causing the collision at sea.
“The dangerous overtaking manoeuvre by PNS Hunain was in gross violation of Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements of April 1991, which specifies that naval units at sea are not to be within three nautical miles of each other. In addition, the Pakistani ship also infringed the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea,” Jaiswal said as per the news agency.
The Pakistan side has once again been “advised” about the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two countries in order to avoid any such incidents, he added.
According to Jaiswal, the incident did not cause any major damage to INS Kolkata. The vessel is currently at sea.
“The incident did not cause any major damage to INS Kolkata and she remains at sea,” he added.
ANI reported that the Pakistan Navy ship was observed to be heading to harbour after sustaining damage.
