New Delhi: India has rejected claims that it refused docking access to Iranian naval vessels during the ongoing conflict in West Asia, clarifying that requests for refuge were accepted promptly on humanitarian grounds.
According to defence officials, India approved Iran’s request for safe harbour for its naval ships after tensions escalated in the region. The vessels had earlier participated in the MILAN Naval Exercise and had departed Visakhapatnam around February 25 and 26 following the conclusion of the event.
The three ships involved were IRIS Dena, IRIS Lavan and IRIS Bushehr. Officials said the ships were heading back to Iran through the Indian Ocean when military strikes targeting Iranian facilities took place on February 28, forcing Tehran to seek urgent refuge for the vessels to avoid entering the conflict zone.
India approved the request on March 1. IRIS Lavan was allowed to dock at Kochi after reporting engine and technical problems. The vessel arrived a few days later and its crew of 183 personnel were accommodated at Indian naval facilities.
On the same day, IRIS Dena was reportedly torpedoed by a submarine in waters south of Galle. Following a distress signal received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Colombo, the Indian Navy assisted search and rescue operations by deploying maritime patrol aircraft in coordination with Sri Lankan authorities.
Another vessel, IRIS Bushehr, later developed engine trouble near Sri Lanka and also requested refuge. The request was granted and the ship was escorted toward a harbour while most of its crew were moved to a naval camp near Colombo.
External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told Parliament that Iran had formally requested docking support on February 28 and India approved the request shortly after. He said the decision was guided by humanitarian considerations, noting that the ships had originally arrived in the region for naval engagements but were caught in rapidly changing geopolitical circumstances.
The developments come amid escalating hostilities in West Asia following joint military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, which have triggered retaliatory attacks and heightened regional tensions.
