Indian and Pakistani warships collide at sea, adding to tensions

Arch rivals and nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan traded blame over a collision between their warships at sea, summoning each other’s top diplomats to lodge “strong” protests and adding another point of friction between the duo.

The incident took place Tuesday, according to accounts from both sides. A government official in New Delhi told reporters via text message on Wednesday that the Indian warship was on a routine surveillance mission in international waters in the northern Arabian Sea when the Pakistani vessel approached at high speed. The official asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Wednesday that its navy was conducting a biennial exercise in its exclusive economic zone when the incident occurred, describing the Indian Navy’s action as “highly provocative and unacceptable.”

Both countries said they had summoned each other’s charge d’affaires.

The incident was “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct of Pakistani naval units at sea,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement Wednesday, adding that no “major damage” occurred.

Pakistan said it told India’s envoy “to convey to the government of India that Pakistan strongly rejects this belligerent Indian action.” It urged New Delhi to “adhere strictly to international law and bilateral agreements, particularly those aimed at preventing incidents at sea.”

Ties between the two countries — which have fought four major wars since independence in 1947 — have remained tense since an armed clash last year took them to the brink of another conflict. That was triggered by the killing of 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir. New Delhi branded it a terrorist attack and accused Pakistan of involvement, charges denied by Islamabad.

This week’s naval incident comes as the U.S.-Iran war and near-closure of the key Strait of Hormuz disrupts global energy supplies, heightening concerns over security and freedom of navigation in waters around the Arabian Sea.