India on Friday rejected Pakistan’s response to its protest over the collision between the Pakistan Navy vessel PNS Hunain and Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata in the western Arabian Sea, calling the Pakistani allegations and insinuations “categorically” unacceptable.
“We have seen Pakistan’s response to the protest we lodged. This is the same old stalling we expected. We categorically reject the allegations and insinuations made therein. INS Kolkata was on a routine deployment in the western Arabian Sea when the Pakistan Navy ship PNS Hunain behaved in an unacceptable and unprofessional manner at sea, resulting in the collision. Jaiswal’s remarks came after Pakistan responded to India’s protest over the incident.
India has said the Pakistani vessel’s manoeuvre led to the collision and accused it of violating the 1991 agreement as well as international rules governing the prevention of collisions at sea.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had expected what he described as “the same old stalling” from Pakistan, while asserting that INS Kolkata was on a routine deployment when the incident occurred.
