New Delhi: India on Friday firmly dismissed allegations from Islamabad regarding a collision between an Indian Navy warship and a Pakistani vessel in the Arabian Sea, characterising Pakistan’s account as predictable evasion.

New Delhi had previously summoned the Pakistani Charge d'Affaires (CDA) on Wednesday to deliver a formal protest over what it termed "unacceptable conduct" by the Pakistani Navy vessel, which precipitated the collision.

According to Indian authorities, the event transpired on Tuesday night when the Pakistani ship maneuvered close to the frontline Indian warship, which was executing a routine surveillance deployment in the northern Arabian Sea.

Pakistan's foreign ministry countered with allegations that the collision was triggered by a "highly provocative and unacceptable action" by the Indian vessel inside Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

"We have seen Pakistan's response to the protest we had lodged. It is the usual prevarication that we expected. We reject the allegations and insinuations contained therein," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a media briefing.

Clarifying the details of the engagement, Jaiswal noted that the Indian warship INS Kolkata was operating on standard deployment in the western Arabian Sea when the Pakistani naval vessel PNS Hunain acted in an "unacceptable and unprofessional manner," leading directly to the impact.

"The dangerous overtaking manoeuvre by PNS Hunain was in gross violation of Article 10 of the Agreement between India and Pakistan on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Manoeuvres and Troops Movements of April 1991, which specifies that naval units at sea are not to be within three nautical miles of each other. In addition, the Pakistani ship also infringed the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea," Jaiswal said.

The MEA spokesperson added that India has once again "advised" Pakistan that all military units must exercise caution and adhere to bilateral maritime frameworks to avoid similar confrontations in the future.

Jaiswal confirmed that INS Kolkata sustained no major structural damage from the contact and continues its operational deployment at sea. (PTI)