India, Pakistan trade blame and protests over navy collision

India and Pakistan faced off on Wednesday as the two nuclear-armed rivals traded blame over a sea collision between their navies. Pakistan's foreign ministry accused India of the incident, stating that it occurred while the Pakistani navy was conducting a biennial exercise in its exclusive economic zone. Meanwhile, India contended that the collision happened in international waters and caused no significant damage.

A senior Indian official detailed the event, noting that a Pakistani ship approached an Indian warship during routine surveillance at high speed, exhibiting unprofessional and unsafe maneuvers. In response, Pakistan alleged that the Indian navy had made aggressive maneuvers in close proximity to a Pakistani naval vessel, leading to a contact between the two vessels.

Both nations summoned each other's charge d'affaires, with India's foreign ministry issuing a strong protest over the unacceptable and unprofessional conduct of Pakistani naval units at sea. Pakistan's foreign ministry demanded that India's representative convey their strong rejection of the belligerent Indian action, urging the international community to urge India to abandon its hostile posture and refrain from irresponsible actions that could further destabilize South Asia.