A Pakistani naval vessel limped back to its home harbour on Wednesday after being involved in a collision with an Indian warship in international waters, according to official statements released by both navies. The Pakistan Navy confirmed that the damaged ship, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, made it back under its own power after the incident, which occurred during what both sides described as routine maritime operations.
Indian defence sources indicated that the Indian warship sustained minor superficial damage but remained fully operational. Both navies have launched joint inquiry procedures to determine the circumstances surrounding the collision, which happened in conditions of reduced visibility late in the evening.
Naval experts said the extent of the damage to the Pakistani vessel appears significant, with reports of buckled plating and compromised watertight integrity in at least one compartment. Emergency sealing measures were reportedly deployed at sea before the vessel began its journey back to port for comprehensive repairs.
The Indian Navy issued a statement saying it rendered assistance to the Pakistani vessel immediately after the collision, providing communication support and monitoring the situation until the ship was able to proceed independently. Both nations have longstanding protocols for such incidents, rooted in the 1960 Indo-Pakistan Agreement on the Regime of Rivers, supplemented by mutual maritime safety understandings that, while informal, have historically prevented escalation during similar encounters.
This marks the first known collision between Indian and Pakistani naval vessels in nearly two decades, reigniting debates within India about maritime patrol protocols along the western seaboard. Defence analysts noted that increased naval activity in the Arabian Sea, driven by broader strategic competition in the region, raises the probability of future close-quarters encounters between the two fleets.
