A collision between an Indian Navy warship and Pakistan Navy vessel PNS Hunain in the North Arabian Sea has triggered a diplomatic exchange between India and Pakistan, with both sides presenting different accounts of what led to the incident.
The collision took place on September 15, 2026, in international waters. According to Indian officials, PNS Hunain approached the Indian warship at high speed and manoeuvred dangerously close, resulting in a minor collision. India said the incident did not cause major damage to its warship, while the Pakistani vessel was damaged and returned to port. �
India Today +1
India subsequently summoned Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over what it described as the Pakistani vessel’s “unacceptable and unprofessional” conduct.
At the centre of India’s objection is Article 10 of the 1991 India-Pakistan Agreement on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements. The provision states that naval ships and submarines of the two countries should not come within three nautical miles of each other while operating in international waters, with the aim of preventing accidents. Three nautical miles is approximately 5.56 kilometres. �
Hindustan Times +1
India has said that the conduct of PNS Hunain was in direct contravention of this provision. The Indian side also said the Pakistani vessel’s manoeuvres were inconsistent with international maritime safety rules. �
India Today
However, Pakistan has disputed India’s account. Islamabad said the Indian naval vessel carried out what it described as aggressive manoeuvres during Pakistan’s SEASPARK-26 naval exercise and alleged that the Indian ship came dangerously close to its vessel. Pakistan also lodged a protest through diplomatic channels. �
The Indian Express +1
The incident has therefore produced competing narratives from the two governments, rather than an independently established account of intentional collision.
The episode has also brought renewed attention to the 1991 agreement, which was designed as a confidence-building mechanism to reduce the possibility of military misunderstandings and accidents between the two countries.
The latest incident also recalls a similar 2011 episode involving PNS Babur and INS Godavari in the Gulf of Aden. While the circumstances of the two incidents are different, both have drawn attention to the importance of maintaining safe distances between Indian and Pakistani naval vessels. �
For now, the diplomatic focus remains on the circumstances surrounding the collision and adherence to existing maritime and bilateral protocols. The incident underlines how even an accidental or disputed encounter between military vessels can create additional tension between India and Pakistan.