What is the India-Pakistan conflict at sea about?, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• An Indian Navy warship, INS Kolkata, collided with a Pakistan Navy vessel, PNS Hunain, in the North Arabian Sea on September 15.
• India alleged that PNS Hunain executed a dangerous overtaking maneuver at high speed, leading to the collision.
• India summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires and lodged a strong protest, citing violations of Article 10 of the 1991 India-Pakistan agreement.
• INS Kolkata sustained no major damage and remained at sea, while PNS Hunain was damaged and returned to harbor.
• Pakistan rejected India's allegations, presenting a different account of the incident.

Detailed Insights:

• The collision occurred in international waters, approximately 120 nautical miles from the Gulf of Oman.
• INS Kolkata is the lead ship of India's Project 15A Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyers, commissioned in August 2014.
• It has a displacement of about 7,400 tonnes and is equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for anti-surface strike.
• PNS Hunain (F-273) is an offshore patrol vessel, the first of Pakistan's larger OPV 2600-based vessels, commissioned in July 2024.
• It has a displacement of about 2,600 tonnes and is designed for maritime security, surveillance, and combat operations.
• Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements, 1991, mandates naval vessels to maintain a separation of three nautical miles (approximately 5.6 km) in international waters.
• This bilateral agreement is a Confidence-Building Measure (CBM) aimed at reducing the risk of miscalculation and accidental escalation between the two nuclear-armed nations.
• A similar incident occurred in June 2011 when PNS Babur and INS Godavari came close during anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.
• India has instructed its Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad to raise the matter with Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, emphasizing compliance with bilateral agreements.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Charge d'Affaires: A diplomat who heads a diplomatic mission in the absence of an ambassador or in a country where the sending state does not maintain an ambassador-level relationship.
• Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs): Arrangements or actions taken by states to reduce mistrust, improve transparency, and manage the risk of conflict, especially regarding military capabilities and intentions.
• International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs): International rules published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that set out navigation rules to be followed by vessels at sea to prevent collisions.