New Delhi, September 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India on Friday rejected Pakistan’s allegations over the September 15 collision involving Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata and Pakistan Navy ship Hunain in the western Arabian Sea, calling Islamabad’s response “usual prevarication”.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the collision occurred after PNS Hunain carried out what India described as an unacceptable and unprofessional manoeuvre while INS Kolkata was on routine deployment.
“We have seen Pakistan’s response to the protest we have lodged. It is the usual prevarication that we expected. We reject the allegations and insinuations contained therein,” Jaiswal said at the MEA’s bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi.
He said the Pakistani vessel’s dangerous overtaking manoeuvre was in “gross violation” of Article 10 of the April 1991 Agreement Between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements. The provision specifies that naval units at sea should not come within three nautical miles of each other.
Jaiswal also said the Pakistani ship had infringed the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
According to the MEA, the incident took place in international waters and did not cause any major damage to INS Kolkata, which remained at sea.
“The Pakistani side has once again been advised about the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents,” Jaiswal said.
The latest statement followed Pakistan’s allegation that an Indian naval ship had carried out a provocative manoeuvre that led to the collision.
On Wednesday, India summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over what it described as the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of Pakistani naval units.
The MEA also said India’s Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad had been instructed to lodge a similar protest with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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