New Delhi : India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over what it described as the unacceptable and unprofessional conduct of Pakistani naval units that led to a collision with a unit of the Indian Navy in international waters.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the incident did not cause any major damage. However, it said the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements.

The Pakistani diplomat was advised to convey to the concerned authorities in Islamabad the need for all military units to exercise due care and strictly respect the provisions of relevant bilateral agreements, the MEA said, stressing that such precautions were necessary to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

India has also instructed its Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs according to the MEA statement.

The ministry did not disclose the identities of the Indian and Pakistani naval vessels involved or provide further operational details about the circumstances leading to the collision.

Reports citing government sources said the incident occurred in international waters and no major damage was reported.

The 1991 bilateral agreement contains confidence building provisions aimed at reducing the risk of unintended incidents involving the armed forces of the two countries. Article 10 has previously been invoked in connection with naval encounters at sea.

The latest diplomatic protest comes amid continuing sensitivity in India Pakistan relations, with New Delhi emphasising the need for military units on both sides to observe established agreements and exercise caution during operations at sea.

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