High-Seas Standoff: Pakistan Raises Maritime Security Concerns After INS Kolkata-PNS Hunain Incident | Exclusive Details

Last Updated:September 17, 2026, 01:48 IST

The confrontation culminated on September 15 in a physical encounter between the two warships

The collision took place on the evening of September 15 in the North Arabian Sea, where naval vessels routinely conduct surveillance and other maritime operations. (Representational image)

In a diplomatic escalation, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged a strong protest against India, alleging a serious violation of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by the Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata. According to statements from the Foreign Office in Islamabad, the Indian guided-missile destroyer engaged in provocative manoeuvres within Pakistan’s maritime zone, directly interfering with the Pakistan Navy’s ongoing biennial exercise, SEASPARK-26, which has been underway since September 1. Pakistan also summoned India’s Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad and lodged a strong protest.

Pakistani officials stated that the intrusion began on September 7, when INS Kolkata and its shipborne helicopter repeatedly attempted to enter the designated naval exercise area. Despite multiple warnings transmitted by Pakistani units, the Indian vessel allegedly maintained a hazardous posture in breach of the 1991 bilateral Agreement on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements. Rejecting India’s assertion that the operation was a routine deployment, Islamabad characterised the actions as a deliberate effort to undermine regional maritime stability and security protocols.

The confrontation culminated on September 15 in a physical encounter between the two warships. According to the Foreign Office, INS Kolkata executed an aggressive manoeuvre that resulted in a collision with the Pakistan Navy offshore patrol vessel PNS Hunain. Pakistani officials claimed that PNS Hunain attempted evasive action to avoid impact, after which INS Kolkata accelerated and departed the area. Islamabad credited the restraint of its naval personnel with averting a broader military crisis, while warning Indian authorities that such forbearance cannot be guaranteed during future maritime provocations.

Quick Answers

Powered by

Ask News18

Which naval vessels were involved in the collision in the North Arabian Sea?

The collision involved the Indian Navy guided-missile destroyer INS Kolkata and the Pakistan Navy offshore patrol vessel PNS Hunain (also referred to as PNS Hunayn).

When did the collision between the Indian and Pakistani warships occur?

The physical collision between the two warships occurred on the evening of Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

Which bilateral agreement did India and Pakistan accuse each other of violating during the maritime incident?

Both nations cited violations of the 1991 bilateral Agreement on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements. Pakistan claimed India breached the agreement during its SEASPARK-26 exercise, while India asserted that the conduct of the Pakistani vessel directly contravened Article 10 of the same 1991 agreement.

Powered by

Ask News18

About the Author

Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations and Security Affairs, Network18

Read More