New Delhi: India has categorically rejected Pakistan’s assertions regarding a recent collision in the Arabian Sea, attributing the incident to “dangerous” maneuvers by a Pakistani naval vessel. The Indian government stated that the Pakistani ship’s actions were unprofessional and in violation of maritime agreements.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the incident occurred on Tuesday night when a Pakistani vessel approached an Indian Navy warship engaged in routine surveillance in the northern Arabian Sea. India subsequently summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires in New Delhi on Wednesday to lodge a formal diplomatic protest.
In response, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned India’s charge d’affaires, alleging that “aggressive” maneuvers by the Indian warship had precipitated the collision. However, at a press briefing on Friday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal countered these claims, stating that the Pakistani vessel executed a “dangerous” maneuver that contravened the 1991 agreement between the two nations. This agreement mandates naval ships to maintain a distance of at least three nautical miles from each other.
Mr. Jaiswal identified the Indian warship involved as INS Kolkata, a stealth guided missile destroyer. “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,” he stated.
He further elaborated on the sequence of events: “Let me reiterate the facts of the matter. 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 at sea that resulted in a collision.” The spokesperson emphasized that 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.”
The Pakistani ship also, according to the Indian official, “infringed the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea.” India reiterated its advice to the Pakistan side regarding the necessity for all military units to exercise due care and adhere to the provisions of relevant bilateral agreements to avert recurrence of such incidents.
Mr. Jaiswal confirmed that the collision did not result in any significant damage to INS Kolkata, and the warship remains operational at sea. Earlier, the Pakistan foreign ministry had alleged that the collision was a consequence of a “highly provocative and unacceptable action” by the Indian vessel within Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The Chenab Times News Desk