ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has strongly protested what it described as a violation of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by Indian naval vessel INS Kolkata and its attempts to enter an area where the Pakistan Navy was conducting exercises.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, the Pakistan Navy has been conducting Sea Spark 26 exercises in Pakistan’s EEZ since September 1.
The Foreign Office said that since September 7, an Indian naval vessel and a helicopter deployed on it had made several attempts to enter the designated exercise area.
It alleged that the Indian warship adopted a dangerous and provocative posture near Pakistan Navy vessels and continued its activities despite repeated warnings.
Pakistan also rejected India’s position that the vessel’s presence constituted a routine deployment, saying the activities amounted to a violation of the 1991 bilateral agreement.
According to the Foreign Office, on September 15, INS Kolkata made a dangerous manoeuvre that resulted in contact with Pakistan Navy vessel PNS Hunain.
The Foreign Office said PNS Hunain attempted to avoid a collision, while the Indian vessel increased its speed and subsequently left the area.
Pakistan described the incident as highly provocative, warning that such an incident could have triggered a serious crisis between the two countries.
The Foreign Office said the professional and responsible conduct of the Pakistan Navy helped prevent the situation from escalating further.
Pakistan said it viewed the alleged Indian naval violations with serious concern and urged India to respect bilateral agreements and adhere to responsible conduct.
Islamabad also called for immediate measures by Indian authorities to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
The Foreign Office further said India was attempting to escalate the matter diplomatically by presenting a distorted version of the facts. It added that India had lodged a diplomatic protest with Pakistan and summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires.
Pakistan noted that the Indian account placed responsibility for the incident on the Pakistani naval unit, resulting in conflicting official narratives from the two countries.
The Foreign Office warned that such incidents could have implications for regional peace and stability.
