NEW DELHI: Days before the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine south of Sri Lanka, Iran had approached India seeking urgent permission for another ship to dock in the region, Indian government sources said on Friday.
The sources said, “Days before the IRIS Dena incident south of Sri Lanka, India was approached by Iran to take in the Iranian Ship IRIS Lavan, which was also in the region for the International Fleet Review.”
“This request was received on 28 February 2026, indicating that a docking at Kochi was urgent as the vessel had developed technical issues. Approval was accorded for the docking on 1 March. IRIS Lavan has since docked at Kochi on 4 March. In this context, its crew of 183 are currently accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi,” they added.
The development comes amid heightened tensions in the Indian Ocean region following the escalation in the conflict involving Iran and the United States and Israel, which has drawn increased regional attention after maritime incidents near Sri Lanka.
On Wednesday, Iranian warship IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka, killing at least 87 crew members. Like the IRIS Dena, IRIS Lavan had also been part of a naval fleet review in Visakhapatnam.
