Collision in International Waters Sparks Diplomatic Protests

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday that a Pakistani naval ship had collided with an Indian warship in international waters the previous day. The incident has led to heightened tensions between the two nations.

Unacceptable Conduct Accused

The ministry lodged a formal protest with Pakistan’s charge d’affaires at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi — it accused Pakistan’s navy of “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” leading to the collision with an Indian Navy unit.

The Indian government stated that the incident violated a 1991 bilateral agreement that requires naval ships and submarines of both countries to maintain a distance of at least three nautical miles apart in international waters. The ministry said the charge d’affaires was asked to convey to his government the need for military units to respect these agreements “to prevent any repeat of such incidents.”

India’s charge d’affaires in Islamabad was also instructed to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s foreign ministry; there was no immediate comment from Pakistan’s government on the matter.

Escalating Tensions and Historical Context

This incident marks the first case of direct military tension between the nuclear-armed neighbors since they engaged in a four-day direct conflict last year. The two countries have not had ambassadors in each other’s capitals since 2019, when they downgraded diplomatic ties following New Delhi’s decision to revoke the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir.

India and Pakistan have a long history of conflict, having fought three major wars since gaining independence from British rule in 1947; Two of these wars were over the status of Kashmir, a disputed territory claimed by both countries.

Given the ongoing tensions and the lack of high-level diplomatic representation, any further escalation in the region could have serious implications for regional stability and international relations.