India and Pakistan Exchange Protests After Naval Collision

The Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan exchanged formal diplomatic protests after an Indian Navy warship and a Pakistani naval vessel collided in the North Arabian Sea on September 15, 2026. The incident involved the Indian destroyer INS Kolkata and the Pakistani corvette PNS Hunain. While both nations agree the collision caused no major damage to the Indian ship, reports indicate the PNS Hunain sustained damage and returned to port.

India alleges the INS Kolkata was conducting a routine surveillance mission in international waters when the PNS Hunain approached at high speed and performed a dangerous overtaking maneuver. New Delhi asserts this violated Article 10 of a 1991 bilateral agreement requiring a three-nautical-mile separation between naval units. In response, India summoned the Pakistani Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, to lodge a strong protest.

Pakistan disputes this account, claiming the INS Kolkata performed aggressive and provocative maneuvers within Pakistan's exclusive economic zone while the Pakistan Navy was conducting the SEASPARK-26 biennial exercise. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan summoned the Indian charge d'affaires in Islamabad, characterizing the action as a violation of international law.

India subsequently rejected Pakistan's response, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal describing the claims as an attempt to hide the truth. This encounter marks the first overt military tension between the two nuclear-armed nations since a four-day conflict in May 2025.