India, Pakistan trade blame and protests over navy collision

On Wednesday, India and Pakistan engaged in a blame game following a naval collision at sea, summoning each other's top diplomats to lodge strong protests. According to Pakistan's foreign ministry, the incident occurred on Tuesday while their navy was conducting a biennial exercise within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). New Delhi, however, maintained that the collision happened in international waters and did not result in significant damage.

A senior Indian official stated that the incident took place late Tuesday in the north of the Arabian Sea. A Pakistani naval ship reportedly closed in on an Indian naval warship on a routine surveillance mission, closing in at high speed and maneuvering in an unprofessional and unsafe manner, according to an Indian official.

Pakistan, on the other hand, alleged that the Indian vessel conducted aggressive maneuvers in dangerously close proximity to a Pakistani naval ship, resulting in contact between the two vessels. Both nations summoned each other's charge d'affaires, with New Delhi's foreign ministry issuing a statement condemning the "unacceptable and unprofessional conduct of Pakistani naval units at sea" that led to the collision.

In response, the Pakistani foreign ministry urged India to convey that Pakistan "strongly rejects this belligerent Indian action" and calls upon the international community to pressure India to abandon its belligerent stance and refrain from irresponsible actions that could further destabilize South Asia. The two nuclear-armed nations have a history of deep distrust and multiple wars since gaining independence in 1947, primarily over the disputed region of Kashmir, which both claim.

In May 2025, a deadly four-day conflict erupted between the two countries after armed gunmen killed over two dozen tourists, mostly Hindus, in Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, a claim Pakistan denied.