India and Pakistan have lodged diplomatic protests following a collision involving naval vessels in the Arabian Sea on September 15. India summoned Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in New Delhi and objected to what it described as unacceptable conduct by a Pakistani naval vessel. Pakistan subsequently summoned India’s Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad and presented its own protest.
The two countries have given different accounts of the circumstances surrounding the incident. Pakistan said the collision occurred during its naval exercise and alleged that an Indian vessel carried out manoeuvres dangerously close to a Pakistani ship. India has disputed Pakistan’s characterization of the incident and said it occurred in international waters.
The diplomatic exchange comes against the background of continuing sensitivity between the two countries over military activity and maritime security. Officials on both sides have used formal diplomatic channels to communicate their positions. Further details about the incident, including the exact circumstances and damage caused, remain subject to the competing accounts from the two governments
