India Rejects Pakistan's Claims Over INS Kolkata-PNS Hunain Collision, Calls Conduct Unacceptable

India on Friday rejected Pakistan's allegations over the September 15 collision between Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata and Pakistan Navy vessel PNS Hunain in the western Arabian Sea, saying the Pakistani ship's conduct was “unacceptable and unprofessional”.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking at a media briefing in New Delhi, said Pakistan's response to India's diplomatic protest was “usual prevarication” and rejected the allegations and insinuations made against India.

Jaiswal said INS Kolkata was on a routine deployment in the western Arabian Sea when PNS Hunain carried out what India described as a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre, resulting in the collision.

India Cites 1991 Agreement

According to Jaiswal, the manoeuvre by PNS Hunain was in violation of Article 10 of the 1991 Agreement Between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements.

The agreement specifies that naval units at sea should not come within three nautical miles of each other, he said. Jaiswal also said the Pakistani vessel infringed the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

“The Pakistani side has once again been advised about the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents,” Jaiswal said.

He added that the collision did not cause any major damage to INS Kolkata and that the Indian warship remains at sea.

Pakistan Disputes India's Account

MEA's response came after Pakistan accused an Indian naval ship of carrying out a provocative manoeuvre that led to the collision.

Pakistan has disputed India's account of the incident and alleged that the Indian warship carried out an “unacceptable” manoeuvre in Pakistan's Exclusive Economic Zone during its SEASPARK-26 naval exercise.

India Lodged Diplomatic Protest

On Wednesday, India summoned the Charge d'Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over what it described as the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of Pakistani naval units.

The MEA said the incident occurred in international waters and did not cause any major damage to the Indian naval vessel.

The Pakistani diplomat was advised to convey to the relevant authorities the need for military units to exercise due care and comply with the provisions of the applicable agreements to prevent a recurrence.

India also instructed its Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.