India allowed Iranian naval vessel to dock in Kochi days before US submarine sank IRIS Dena: Report
A day after India launched a search-and-rescue operation following a US submarine attack on an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, government sources have confirmed that India permitted another Iranian vessel to dock in Kochi, NDTV reported.
The attacked ship, IRIS Dena, a Moudge-class frigate, was torpedoed 40 nautical miles off Galle in southern Sri Lanka on the morning of Wednesday, March 4.
It was returning to Iran after participating in the MILAN multilateral naval exercise.
The ship sank following the attack, and Sri Lankan authorities recovered the bodies of 87 personnel.
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— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) March 4, 2026
According to NDTV, another Iranian vessel, the IRIS Lavan, was in the region in connection with the exercise and the International Fleet Review.
Iran reportedly requested India’s assistance to “take in” the amphibious ship on February 28, coinciding with the day US and Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
India approved the request on March 1, and the IRIS Lavan docked in Kochi on Wednesday—the same day the IRIS Dena was attacked.
NDTV, citing sources, said all 183 crew members of the IRIS Lavan are currently housed in naval facilities in the area.
The move comes amid heightened tensions in the region and underscores India’s strategic role in managing maritime security and diplomatic sensitivities in the Indian Ocean.
IBNS
Senior Staff Reporter at Northeast Herald, covering news from Tripura and Northeast India.
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