WHAT ACTIONS TO AVOID FUTURE ACCIDENTS ,A Pakistan navy ship has collided with an Indian warship in the Arabian Sea.

 

“On the evening of Sept 15, a Pakistan Naval Ship closed a frontline Indian Naval warship on a routine surveillance mission in the North Arabian Sea at high speed, manoeuvring in an unprofessional and unsafe manner. This led to a collision,” a source told TOI. However, the source said, “No damage has been reported.”

DELelhi has summoned Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires (CDA) after the incident. “The CDA was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs today and a strong protest was lodged with him over the unacceptable and unprofessional conduct of Pakistani naval units at sea that led to a collision with a unit of the Indian Navy," the MEA said.

The MEA said the diplomat was advised to convey to the Pakistani authorities concerned the need for all military units to observe due care and respect the provisions of the relevant agreements between the two sides in order to prevent any repeat of such incidents.

“While the incident, which took place in international waters, did not cause any major damage, the conduct of the Pakistani naval ship was in direct contravention of Article 10 of the agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements of April 1991,” it said.

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This incident deserves careful analysis because naval collisions between two nuclear-armed rivals are rare and potentially dangerous, even when no damage is reported.

Was the Collision Deliberate?

At present, there is insufficient public evidence to conclusively state that the collision was deliberate. However, three possibilities exist:

1. Deliberate Aggressive Signalling

The Pakistani vessel may have intentionally conducted a close approach to:

• Challenge the presence of the Indian warship.
• Demonstrate resolve in the aftermath of continuing India-Pakistan tensions.
• Gather intelligence through visual and electronic observation.
• Test the reaction procedures of the Indian Navy.

Navies worldwide sometimes conduct "shadowing" or "close-quarter manoeuvres" for signalling purposes. If the Pakistani ship intentionally approached at high speed and violated accepted maritime safety norms, it could indicate coercive signalling rather than an accidental navigational error.

2. Professional Misjudgment (Most Common Explanation)

Many naval collisions globally occur because:

• A commanding officer misjudges relative speed and distance.
• Bridge teams become overconfident during close tracking.
• Communication between ships is inadequate.
• Sea state, visibility, or radar interpretation errors occur.

History shows that even highly professional navies, including the US Navy, Royal Navy, and Chinese Navy, have experienced collisions during routine shadowing operations.

3. Deliberate Risk-Taking Without Intent to Collide

This may be the most plausible intermediate explanation.

The Pakistani vessel may have:

• Intentionally closed the distance aggressively.
• Attempted to force the Indian ship to alter course.
• Conducted unsafe manoeuvres for psychological or tactical effect.

In such cases, collision is not the objective, but the risk of collision becomes extremely high.

 

Why India Refers to the 1991 Agreement

The MEA's reference to the 1991 India-Pakistan agreement is significant.

The agreement was designed to:

• Prevent misunderstandings between military forces.
• Reduce chances of escalation.
• Encourage professional conduct during military activities.

By citing Article 10, India is effectively arguing that Pakistan violated established confidence-building measures intended to avoid precisely such incidents.

 

Strategic Context

The timing is important.

The incident comes amid:

• Continued India-Pakistan tensions after Operation Sindoor.
• Increased naval surveillance in the Arabian Sea.
• Growing concerns over maritime security and sea-lane protection.
• Enhanced naval deployments by both countries.

In such an environment, commanders may feel pressure to demonstrate assertiveness, increasing the risk of unsafe encounters.

 

What Actions Should Be Taken to Avoid Future Accidents?

Immediate Measures

1. Activate Naval Hotlines

Direct communication between:

• Naval Headquarters
• Maritime Operations Centres
• Fleet Commanders

can quickly clarify intentions and reduce misunderstandings.

2. Conduct a Joint Incident Review

Both navies should exchange:

• Radar tracks
• AIS data (if applicable)
• Navigation logs
• Bridge recordings

This helps establish facts and prevent competing narratives.

3. Diplomatic Protest and Follow-Up

India has already lodged a protest. Follow-up discussions should focus on operational procedures rather than political rhetoric.

 

Operational Measures

4. Establish Minimum Separation Distances

Both navies could agree on:

• Minimum approach distances.
• Speed restrictions during shadowing operations.
• Standard communication procedures when operating nearby.

The US and China adopted similar mechanisms after several dangerous encounters in the Pacific.

5. Mandatory Bridge-to-Bridge Communication

Whenever ships approach within a predetermined range:

• Radio contact should be established.
• Intentions should be clearly stated.
• Course changes should be announced.

6. Enhanced Training

Regular training in:

• Collision avoidance.
• Rules of the Road (COLREGS).
• Crisis management.
• Close-quarter ship handling.

can significantly reduce risks.

 

Strategic Measures

7. India-Pakistan Maritime Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs)

Possible measures include:

• Annual naval safety meetings.
• Incident-at-sea protocols.
• Advance notification of major naval exercises.
• Communication drills between maritime operations centres.

8. Develop an "Incidents at Sea Agreement"

The United States and Soviet Union signed such an agreement in 1972 after dangerous Cold War encounters. A similar India-Pakistan arrangement could:

• Prohibit dangerous manoeuvres.
• Regulate close approaches.
• Establish investigation mechanisms.
• Reduce escalation risks.

 

Assessment

Based on the information currently available, the strongest conclusion is not that the collision was necessarily deliberate, but that the Pakistani vessel appears to have engaged in unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvring that created a foreseeable risk of collision, as alleged by Indian authorities. Whether this resulted from deliberate signalling, excessive aggressiveness, or navigational misjudgment can only be determined after examination of radar tracks, communications records, and operational logs.

From a national-security perspective, the most important issue is not assigning immediate intent but ensuring that such incidents do not escalate into a military confrontation. Professional seamanship, clear communication, robust confidence-building measures, and strict adherence to international maritime rules remain the best safeguards against future accidents.