India Blasts Pakistan After PNS Hunain Collides With INS Kolkata in Arabian Sea
Diplomatic and maritime tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad flared up sharply following a collision between Indian stealth guided-missile destroyer INS Kolkata and Pakistan Navy corvette PNS Hunain in the waters of the Western Arabian Sea on Tuesday evening, September 15, 2026. Responding to claims from Islamabad, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a firm rebuke, dismissing Pakistan's stance as an evasive maneuver designed to obscure facts while summoning diplomatic representatives to register a formal protest. Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a media briefing that India categorically rejects every allegation and insinuation circulated by Islamabad, noting that the incident stemmed entirely from erratic, dangerous actions initiated by the Pakistani warship.
Breach of 1991 Bilateral Accord: Dangerous Overtaking and COLREG Violations Flagged
Detailed disclosures by the foreign ministry revealed that INS Kolkata was engaged in a routine maritime patrol deployment when PNS Hunain executed an aggressive and unacceptable maneuver, triggering physical contact between the naval vessels. The MEA underlined that the dangerous overtaking maneuver conducted by the Pakistani ship constituted a gross infringement of Article 10 of the April 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres, and Troop Movements. Under this statutory bilateral framework, naval vessels of both nations are explicitly bound to preserve a strict minimum separation buffer of at least 3 nautical miles—equivalent to roughly 5.5 kilometers—while navigating open waters. In addition, the Pakistani warship breached standard International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), showing a disregard for international maritime safety conventions.
INS Kolkata Escapes Major Damage and Continues Mission as New Delhi Warns Islamabad
Despite the mid-sea brush between the two naval platforms, Indian authorities confirmed that INS Kolkata sustained no major operational or structural damage and continues to conduct its assigned maritime mission in the Arabian Sea without disruption. Delivering a clear advisory to prevent future escalations across critical sea lanes, New Delhi called on the Pakistani military establishment to exercise caution and uphold bilateral pacts. The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that military units under Islamabad’s command must respect established distance guidelines and sea protocol to prevent dangerous close-quarters incidents in the region.
