# India protests Pakistan naval collision, cites 1991 pact 2026-09-16T11:31:49+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets India summoned Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires on Wednesday and lodged a strong protest after a Pakistani naval vessel collided with an Indian Navy warship in the Arabian Sea on September 15. The Ministry of External Affairs said the Pakistani ship's conduct violated Article 10 of the 1991 bilateral agreement, which requires ships to maintain a distance of three nautical miles. No major damage was reported. The Indian warship was on routine surveillance in international waters when the Pakistani vessel approached at high speed and manoeuvred in what India called an unprofessional and unsafe manner. Former Navy Captain DK Sharma told ANI the incident was unacceptable and could lead to a very dangerous situation. India's Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad has also been instructed to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan's Foreign Ministry. The 1991 pact requires both countries to give advance notice of major military exercises near each other. The 1999 Lahore Declaration called for a separate agreement to prevent incidents at sea, but that was never concluded. The Indian side has warned against any repeat of such incidents. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Times of India and Hindustan Times both frame the collision as a clear violation of the 1991 pact, with Hindustan Times adding retired Captain DK Sharma's warning of escalation risk. The Federal runs a neutral PTI wire copy, offering no analysis. A second Times of India article broadens the context to Chinese grey-zone tactics and the unfinished 1999 Lahore maritime agreement, implicitly framing the incident as part of a larger strategic pattern. The uniform official version of events is reported without challenge across all sources. The 1991 agreement's Article 10 and the unratified 1999 maritime pact will remain the diplomatic benchmarks if further such incidents occur. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Adds historical and grey-zone context but no opinion - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Quotes ex-Navy captain's warning but stays on facts - thefederal.com (neutral report) Runs PTI wire copy, no analysis or slant - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Adds historical and grey-zone context but no opinion Tags: Indian Navy, Ministry of External Affairs, Pakistan navy Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/india-protests-pakistan-naval-ship-collision-citing-1991-pact/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/india-protests-pakistan-naval-ship-collision-citing-1991-pact/#story-in-brief