Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Retired Admiral Assesses India-Pakistan Naval Collision And Escalation Risks
A Pakistani naval ship recently hit an Indian naval ship.
Retired Rear Admiral MD Suresh said ships at sea must follow safety rules to avoid collisions.
He believes the Pakistani ship may have moved too aggressively, but he said the full facts are not known.
Both ships probably recorded video and instructions from their bridges.
Those recordings could help officials understand what happened.
The collision may have caused limited damage, such as damage to guardrails, rather than major structural harm.
India and Pakistan may complain through diplomatic channels.
Suresh said the event is unlikely to lead to a larger conflict, although anger could make future encounters more dangerous.
Rear Admiral MD Suresh described a recent collision between Pakistani and Indian naval vessels.
He said the incident appeared to violate basic maritime “rules of the road” for avoiding collisions.
Suresh suggested the Pakistani vessel’s actions may have been deliberate, while acknowledging limited details were available.
He assessed the damage as possibly a glancing blow rather than a severe 90-degree collision.
He predicted diplomatic protests and internal military reviews, but not a broader escalation.
- Who
- A Pakistani naval vessel and an Indian naval vessel were involved; Rear Admiral MD Suresh (Retd.) discussed the incident.
- What
- The vessels collided after an encounter that Suresh characterized as involving aggressive manoeuvres and possible violations of maritime safety procedures.
- When
- The article describes the collision as recent but provides no specific date.
- Where
- The collision occurred at sea in an area involving India’s Western Fleet, though the article does not specify an exact location.
- Why
- According to Suresh, the Pakistani crew may have been motivated by anger over events surrounding Operation Sindoor and by a desire to confront an Indian warship; he acknowledged that the details remain unknown.
- Incident
- A Pakistani naval vessel reportedly collided with an Indian naval vessel.
- Safety rules
- Suresh said ships should generally remain at least two miles apart in good visibility and five miles apart in poor visibility when sufficient sea room exists.
- Evidence
- He said both sides would likely have video and bridge recordings showing manoeuvres and orders.
- Possible damage
- Suresh believed the impact may have been a glancing blow causing damage such as lost guardrails.
- Diplomatic response
- He expected diplomatic complaints or discussions, with evidence passed through the defence and foreign-affairs authorities.
- Escalation assessment
- Suresh described the incident as likely to be a one-off event rather than the start of a broader escalation.
- Earlier comparison
- He compared the possible damage with the earlier collision involving Pakistan’s PNS Babur and India’s INS Godavari.