‘It was the humane factor to do’: S Jaishankar confirms India allowed Iranian ship to dock in Kochi | India Information
3 min learnNew DelhiMar 7, 2026 04:31 PM IST
Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed on Saturday that India allowed an Iranian ship to dock in an Indian port the identical day IRIS Dena was torpedoed by a US submarine within the Indian Ocean amid the escalating battle in West Asia. The affirmation comes three days after the Iranian naval frigate was attacked.
“You had these ships, and we obtained a message from the Iranian aspect that one of many ships, which presumably was closest to us—to our waters at that time of time, wished to come back into our port. They have been reporting that they have been having issues. And so, my recollection is that this was on the twenty eighth, and on the first, we mentioned, ‘Okay, you possibly can are available’,” Jaishankar, who was talking on the Raisina Dialogue in Delhisaid.
“And it took them just a few days to sail in, after which they docked in Kochi. And the ship is there. And clearly, the individuals on the ship, a number of them have been younger cadets—that’s my understanding. They’ve disembarked; they’re, you realize, in a close-by facility…,” he added.
Jaishankar was referring to the Iranian ship IRIS Lavan, which had participated within the Worldwide Fleet Evaluate organised by the Indian Navy final month. IRIS Dena had additionally taken half in the identical occasion and was returning to Iran when it was torpedoed in a US submarine assault off Sri Lanka’s coast. A minimum of 80 individuals on board have been killed.
“Once they set out and got here right here, the state of affairs was completely totally different. They have been coming in for a fleet evaluate, after which they obtained, in a means, caught on the improper aspect of occasions. So for us, when this ship wished to come back in, and that too in difficulties, I believe it was the humane factor to do. And I believe we have been guided by that precept,” Jaishankar mentioned.
“And in a way, of the opposite ships, one clearly had the same state of affairs in Sri Lanka, they usually took the choice which they did, and one sadly didn’t make it. So, I believe, we actually approached it from the perspective of, in a way, of humanity, of aside from, you realize, regardless of the authorized points have been. And I believe we did the precise factor,” Jaishankar added.
Iran approached India to soak up the ship on February 28, indicating {that a} docking at Kochi was pressing because the vessel had developed technical points. Approval was accorded for the docking on March 1. IRIS Lavan docked at Kochi on March 4, and its crew of 183 are presently accommodated at naval amenities within the metropolis.
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