A Pakistani naval unit collided with an Indian naval unit in the Arabian Sea. The incident happened in international maritime waters. However, the collision did not cause any major damage. Following the incident, India registered a strong protest against Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Pakistan High Commission’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi.
India described the conduct of the Pakistani naval unit as unacceptable and unprofessional. According to India, the incident violated Article 10 of the April 1991 India-Pakistan military exercise agreement. The Ministry of External Affairs asked Pakistan to ensure proper caution by all military units. It also urged Pakistan to follow existing agreements between both countries.
India Warns Against Repeat Of Such Incidents
India also warned that such incidents should not happen again. New Delhi directed its Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to raise a similar protest before Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry. This was not the first instance when Indian and Pakistani naval units came close in the Arabian Sea.
What Does The 1991 Agreement State?
The 1991 agreement states that both countries should avoid major military exercises or deployments near each other. The agreement requires prior information to prevent misunderstandings between both sides. Under the agreement, the armies, navies and air forces must avoid large exercises near each other.
Furthermore, if any exercise takes place in specified areas, military forces should not move towards the other country’s side. The agreement also prevents large storage of weapons, ammunition or supplies near those areas.
