New Delhi, Sept 16 (KNS): India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over a collision between a Pakistani naval vessel and an Indian Navy warship in the North Arabian Sea.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the conduct of the Pakistani naval units involved as “unacceptable and unprofessional”, saying the incident occurred in international waters and did not result in any major damage.

According to sources, the incident took place on Tuesday evening when a Pakistani Navy vessel approached an Indian warship that was carrying out a routine surveillance mission in the northern Arabian Sea.

The Pakistani vessel closed in at high speed and manoeuvred in what Indian authorities described as an unsafe and unprofessional manner, resulting in the collision. No damage was reported from the incident, according to the MEA.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

The MEA said the conduct of the Pakistani naval vessel was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the April 1991 Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements.

The Pakistani Charge d’Affaires was advised to convey to the concerned authorities in Islamabad that all military units must exercise due care and comply with the provisions of relevant bilateral agreements to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, the ministry said.

India has also directed its Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The incident comes amid heightened sensitivities between the two countries and has prompted a fresh diplomatic exchange over the conduct of their military units at sea.(KNS)