Archive · 17 Sep 2026
India Accuses Pakistan of Breaching Naval Separation Agreement
India and Pakistan have an agreement designed to reduce the risk of military accidents.
They signed it in April 1991.
One rule says their naval ships and submarines should stay at least three nautical miles apart in international waters.
India says Pakistan’s naval conduct on Tuesday broke that rule.
India described the incident as a violation of an agreement, not just an accident.
Pakistan had not publicly answered the accusation when the article was written.
Referring to the exact rule gives India a formal way to protest.
The agreement exists to stop misunderstandings from becoming bigger military crises.
India says Pakistan’s naval conduct breached Article 10 of a 1991 bilateral agreement.
Article 10 requires Indian and Pakistani naval ships and submarines to remain at least three nautical miles apart in international waters.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, according to the article, which describes it as a collision.
India treated the event as a breach of a written obligation rather than merely a navigational accident.
Pakistan had not publicly responded to India’s specific treaty allegation when the article was published.
- Who
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs accused Pakistan of violating the agreement; Pakistan had not publicly responded.
- What
- India alleged that Pakistan’s naval conduct breached Article 10 of the 1991 military-exercises agreement.
- When
- The incident was described as occurring on Tuesday; the article does not provide an exact date.
- Where
- The rule concerns naval vessels operating in international waters.
- Why
- The agreement is intended to prevent accidents, miscalculation, and escalation between the two countries.
- Agreement
- Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troop Movements
- Conclusion date
- April 1991
- Disputed provision
- Article 10
- Separation rule
- Naval ships and submarines should not come within three nautical miles of each other in international waters.
- Incident timing
- Tuesday, with no exact date specified
- India’s position
- The conduct was a breach of a written bilateral obligation, rather than simply a navigational accident.
- Pakistan’s response
- No public response to the specific treaty allegation was reported at the time of publication.