India Hits Back at Pakistan Over Arabian Sea Naval Collision Claim: ‘Usual Prevarication’

India on Friday dismissed Pakistan’s allegations over the collision involving Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata and Pakistan Navy vessel PNS Hunain in the Arabian Sea, describing Islamabad’s response as “usual prevarication.”

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had rejected the allegations and maintained that the Pakistani naval vessel was responsible for the incident. “We have seen Pakistan’s response to the protest we had lodged. It is the usual prevarication that we expected. We reject the allegations and insinuations contained therein,” Jaiswal said.

What India Said About the Collision

According to the MEA, INS Kolkata was on a routine deployment in the western Arabian Sea when PNS Hunain carried out what India described as an “unacceptable and unprofessional” manoeuvre that resulted in the collision.

Jaiswal alleged that the Pakistani ship made a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre and violated Article 10 of the April 1991 agreement between India and Pakistan concerning advance notice of military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements.

India said the provision requires naval units operating at sea to maintain a separation of at least three nautical miles. Jaiswal further alleged that PNS Hunain also violated the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

No Major Damage to INS Kolkata

Jaiswal said the Indian Navy destroyer did not suffer any major damage in the incident and remains deployed at sea. He said Pakistan had once again been advised to ensure that its military units exercise due caution and comply with bilateral agreements and applicable international rules to avoid similar incidents.

The latest statement followed diplomatic exchanges between the two countries after the collision. India had lodged a formal protest with Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in New Delhi over what it termed the “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of the Pakistani naval vessel.

Pakistan has disputed India’s version of events and put forward its own allegations concerning the circumstances surrounding the collision. India has rejected those claims.

Incident Adds to Existing India-Pakistan Tensions

The naval incident comes against the backdrop of continuing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. India subsequently launched Operation Sindoor and adopted several measures targeting Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and expelling Pakistani diplomats.

The latest naval dispute has added another diplomatic flashpoint between the two neighbours, with India maintaining that the incident could have been avoided had the Pakistani vessel followed the relevant maritime rules and bilateral commitments.