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India, Pakistan escalate tensions following naval vessel collision

New Delhi and Islamabad have engaged in a blame game over a maritime incident involving their naval forces, with both nations summoning each other's diplomatic representatives to lodge protests.

LSN Singapore · 16 September 2026

India, Pakistan escalate tensions following naval vessel collision

India and Pakistan have ramped up diplomatic tensions following a collision between naval vessels in contested waters, with each country accusing the other of responsibility for the incident. The two nations have taken the unusual step of summoning each other's charge d'affaires—senior diplomats—to their respective foreign ministries to formally register their objections. The move underscores the fraught relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours, whose militaries maintain a close watch over shared maritime boundaries. Both countries have a history of naval incidents in the region, though such encounters rarely escalate beyond diplomatic protests. The latest confrontation comes amid broader geopolitical tensions in South Asia, where India and Pakistan have long maintained rival military presences and competing territorial claims.