ISLAMABAD: Pakistan protests Indian Navy manoeuvrer after an Indian naval vessel allegedly made what Islamabad described as a provocative and dangerous manoeuvre close to a Pakistan Navy ship in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on September 15.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday that it had summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and lodged a strong diplomatic protest over the incident. The ministry described the reported action as “highly provocative and unacceptable” and warned that such encounters could add to tensions between the two South Asian neighbours.
According to the FO, the incident took place while the Pakistan Navy was conducting its biennial maritime exercise, SEASPARK-26. Pakistan alleged that the Indian naval vessel carried out aggressive manoeuvres at dangerously close range to a Pakistani naval ship, ultimately resulting in contact between the two vessels.
The Pakistani Foreign Office characterized the incident as a serious matter and said it amounted to a violation of international law and the 1991 bilateral agreement concerning advance notification of military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements.
Pakistan protests Indian Navy manoeuvrer and urges adherence to agreements
Islamabad said the Indian diplomat was asked to convey Pakistan’s rejection of what the FO called “belligerent” conduct to New Delhi. Pakistan also urged India to observe international law and bilateral arrangements, particularly mechanisms intended to reduce the risk of incidents involving the armed forces of both countries.
The Foreign Office added that Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi would lodge a corresponding diplomatic protest with India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Pakistan also appealed to the international community to encourage India to avoid actions that Islamabad believes could contribute to instability in South Asia. The FO warned that incidents involving military forces could carry wider risks in a region where relations between the two nuclear-armed countries remain sensitive.
India also lodges diplomatic protest
India’s Ministry of External Affairs also summoned Pakistan’s envoy in New Delhi and issued a demarche over the incident, according to the information provided by the two sides.
The simultaneous diplomatic protests indicate that both governments have raised objections over the same naval encounter, although their respective descriptions of the incident differ. Pakistan says the Indian vessel conducted an aggressive manoeuvre near its naval ship, while India has separately raised concerns about the conduct of the Pakistani side.
The latest dispute comes amid heightened tensions following the serious military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May 2025.
May 2025 conflict remains a backdrop
The 2025 confrontation followed the April attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir. India linked the attack to Pakistan, while Islamabad rejected the allegation and called for a neutral investigation.
On May 7, India carried out air strikes against targets in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Pakistan subsequently claimed that it had shot down several Indian aircraft during air-to-air engagements. India and Pakistan then exchanged further strikes, including attacks involving military installations, before agreeing to a ceasefire on May 10 following international diplomatic efforts.
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The two countries have continued to exchange accusations over the events surrounding the crisis.
The latest naval encounter therefore adds another point of friction to an already difficult bilateral relationship. With both sides invoking diplomatic channels and existing agreements, the incident is likely to keep attention focused on maritime safety, military communication and confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan.
For now, the accounts from Islamabad and New Delhi remain contested, and the precise circumstances that led to contact between the vessels have not been independently established.
