NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over what it described as the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of a Pakistani naval unit that collided with an Indian Navy vessel in international waters.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Pakistani diplomat was summoned to the ministry and asked to convey New Delhi’s concerns to the relevant authorities in Pakistan.
While the incident did not cause any major damage, India said the conduct of the Pakistani naval vessel was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements, signed in April 1991.
The agreement forms part of the confidence-building measures between the two countries and is intended to reduce the possibility of misunderstandings and unintended escalation involving their armed forces.
“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 to prevent any repeat of such incidents,” the MEA said.
India has also taken up the matter through its diplomatic mission in Islamabad. New Delhi has instructed its Charge d’Affaires in Pakistan to lodge a similar protest with the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The diplomatic action comes against the backdrop of longstanding military tensions between India and Pakistan, giving added significance to New Delhi’s reference to the 1991 bilateral confidence-building agreement.
Although the MEA confirmed that the collision did not result in major damage, the decision to formally summon Pakistan’s diplomatic representative underlines the seriousness with which India has viewed the conduct of the Pakistani naval unit.
New Delhi has called for greater caution and strict adherence to existing bilateral agreements by military units on both sides to ensure that incidents of this nature are not repeated.
The episode also highlights the importance of established communication and confidence-building mechanisms between the two countries, particularly when military assets operate in sensitive areas such as international waters.
