New Delhi | Sep 18, 2026 | External Affairs
A direct naval collision between an Indian Navy guided-missile destroyer and a Pakistan Navy offshore patrol vessel in the North Arabian Sea on September 15, 2026, has ignited fresh diplomatic tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The incident has brought maritime confidence-building mechanisms to the forefront, triggering formal diplomatic protests and reciprocal summons of diplomatic envoys in both New Delhi and Islamabad.
1. What Happened on September 15 in the North Arabian Sea?
During routine surveillance operations in the international waters of the North Arabian Sea, an encounter between surface combatants resulted in physical hull contact:
While on deployment, the Indian Navy warship observed the Pakistani vessel approaching at high speed, culminating in a close-quarters collision.
INS Kolkata sustained no major structural damage and remained fully mission-capable on active sea patrol. PNS Hunain sustained visible hull damage and subsequently broke off to return to port for repairs.
2. Vessel Specifications: A Mismatched Encounter
The collision involved two fundamentally distinct classes of surface platforms:
INS Kolkata
India- Displacement: ~7,400 tonnes full-load
- Length & Speed: 164 meters • 30 knots
- Armament & Role: High-end combatant with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, long-range air defense, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) suite, and embarked helicopters.
PNS Hunain (F-273)
Pakistan- Displacement: ~2,600 tonnes
- Length & Speed: ~98 meters • ~24 knots
- Armament & Role: Patrol, surveillance, and security: electronic warfare, light point-defense missile/gun systems, and multirole helicopter embarkation.
3. The Diplomatic Clash: Conflicting Narratives
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that INS Kolkata was engaged in lawful surveillance when PNS Hunain carried out an "unsafe and dangerous overtaking manoeuvre" in tight quarters.
New Delhi summoned Pakistan's Chargé d'Affaires, citing violations of both the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) and bilateral safety pacts, later rejecting Islamabad's counter-claims on September 18 as prevarication.
Islamabad rejected New Delhi's allegations, summoning the Indian Chargé d'Affaires in Islamabad to register a formal counter-protest.
The Pakistan Navy alleged the collision occurred within Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) during its naval exercise SEASPARK-26, claiming the Indian destroyer carried out provocative manoeuvres in close proximity to their patrol vessel.
4. What is Article 10 of the 1991 Bilateral Agreement?
At the core of India’s diplomatic protest is Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements (signed April 6, 1991).
- Mandatory Separation: The article explicitly dictates that warships and submarines of both states operating in international waters must maintain at least three nautical miles of separation to prevent miscalculation and tactical accidents.
- Confidence-Building Measure (CBM): It serves as a tailored bilateral protocol designed to govern peacetime interactions beyond general international maritime navigation standards.
- Historic Precedent: This marks the second notable confrontation tested under this framework. In June 2011, Pakistani frigate PNS Babur brushed against Indian frigate INS Godavari during anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, prompting formal diplomatic protests over safe distance protocols.