India has summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi following a collision between naval vessels from both countries in the Arabian Sea. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, marks the first instance of direct military tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours since a four-day conflict last year.
Diplomatic Protest and Accusations
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Wednesday that a Pakistani naval ship had collided with an Indian warship in international waters the previous day. India lodged a strong protest with Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, accusing Pakistan’s navy of “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” that led to the incident, according to Al Jazeera.
The ministry stated that the incident violated a 1991 bilateral agreement, which requires naval ships and submarines of both countries to maintain a distance of at least three nautical miles apart in international waters. The Pakistani diplomat was asked to convey to his government the necessity for military units to respect existing agreements to prevent such incidents from recurring. India’s Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad was also instructed to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s foreign ministry.
In response, Pakistan also summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, lodging a strong protest over what it described as a “highly provocative and unacceptable” action by an Indian Navy vessel in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), as reported by The Hindu.
Details of the Collision
Defence Ministry sources in India reported that the incident occurred in the North Arabian Sea while the Indian warship was conducting a routine surveillance mission. The Pakistani Navy corvette, identified as PNS Hunain (F-273), approached the Indian vessel at high speed and executed what was described as an “unsafe and unprofessional” manoeuvre. This close-range action caused the two vessels to graze each other.
Sources indicated that PNS Hunain sustained damage in the collision and subsequently returned to harbour. The Indian naval vessel suffered only minor damage and was able to continue its mission. Crucially, no casualties or major damage were reported from the incident.
PNS Hunain is a Yarmook-class offshore patrol vessel, built by Damen Shipyards in Romania and commissioned into the Pakistan Navy in July 2024. It is designed for maritime security, surveillance, and patrol missions.
Broader Context of Tensions
This naval collision comes amid a backdrop of strained diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan. 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. India and Pakistan have fought three major wars since gaining independence from British rule in 1947, with two of these conflicts stemming from the disputed status of Kashmir.
