India-Pakistan naval ships collide in Arabian Sea: What 1991 pact says - The Times of India

**India‑Pakistan Naval Collision Triggers Diplomatic Row in the Arabian Sea** *New Delhi, 16 September 2026* – Two warships—India’s guided‑missile destroyer **INS Kolkata** and Pakistan’s frigate **PNS Hunain**—suffered a mid‑day collision in the North Arabian Sea, about 150 km off the coast of Gujarat. Both vessels were conducting routine patrols when a sudden maneuvering error caused the hulls to strike, leaving PNS Hunain with a breached starboard side and a compromised propulsion system. The Indian ship reported only minor superficial damage. Within hours, the Pakistani frigate limped back to the naval base at Karachi for emergency repairs, while INS Kolkata continued to its home port in Mumbai for a technical inspection.

The incident immediately set off a flurry of diplomatic activity. New Delhi summoned the Pakistani ambassador to lodge a protest, accusing Pakistan of “reckless navigation” and demanding a thorough inquiry. Islamabad, in turn, recalled its envoy from New Delhi and called for an urgent meeting of the Joint Naval Working Group, invoking the **1991 India‑Pakistan Naval Cooperation Agreement**. That pact, signed in the wake of the 1990‑91 Gulf conflict, obliges both navies to notify each other of planned exercises, share information on ship movements in overlapping maritime zones, and resolve incidents “through peaceful dialogue and mutual respect for sovereign rights.” Officials from both capitals stressed that the agreement remains the cornerstone of maritime confidence‑building, even as they prepare separate investigative commissions.

An early‑morning briefing by India’s Ministry of Defence emphasized that no lives were lost and that the collision was “an unfortunate operational mishap” that would be examined in line with the 1991 framework. Pakistan’s navy released a statement indicating that PNS Hunain’s damage would be fully repaired and that it would return to patrol duties once cleared. Regional analysts cited by **NDTV** and **The Hindu** noted that the incident underscores the fragility of naval safety protocols in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and warned that any miscalculation could quickly spiral into a broader security crisis. Both sides have pledged to adhere to the spirit of the 1991 pact while a joint fact‑finding team is slated to meet in Colombo next week.