NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi and lodged a “strong protest” over what the Ministry of External Affairs described as the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of a Pakistani naval unit that led to a collision with an Indian Navy vessel in international waters.
The External Affairs Minstry said the Pakistani diplomat was summoned to the ministry and was asked to convey New Delhi’s concerns to the relevant authorities in Pakistan.
According to the ministry, the incident did not result in any major damage. However, India said the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was “in direct contravention” of Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements signed in April 1991.
The agreement is part of the confidence-building measures between the two countries aimed at reducing the risk of misunderstandings and unintended escalation involving their armed forces.
“The Charge d'Affaires of Pakistan was advised to convey to the concerned Pakistani authorities, 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,” the MEA said.
The diplomatic protest is not being confined to New Delhi. India has also instructed its Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a “similar protest” with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The episode comes against the backdrop of longstanding military tensions between India and Pakistan, making the invocation of a bilateral confidence-building agreement particularly significant. While the MEA said there was no major damage in the collision, its decision to formally summon Pakistan’s diplomatic representative indicates that New Delhi has treated the incident with utmost seriousness.