A day after India said it had launched a search-and-rescue operation following a US submarine strike on an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s coast, New Delhi had permitted another Iranian naval vessel to dock in Kochi.
According to a report by India Today, Tehran had sought urgent clearance from India days before the attack to allow one of its warships to enter Kochi port after it developed technical problems. The request was made shortly before a United States submarine torpedoed an Iranian frigate in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka.
Iran Seeks Emergency Docking In Kochi
Iran approached India on February 28 requesting permission for its naval ship IRIS Lavan to dock at Kochi, saying the vessel had developed technical issues that required immediate attention. The request came the same day the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, the report said.
The warship had been in the region to participate in the International Fleet Review, sources said.
India granted the clearance on March 1, and the ship reached Kochi harbour on March 4. The vessel’s crew of 183 personnel is currently being housed at Indian naval facilities in the southern port city.
Sister Vessel Sunk In Indian Ocean
While IRIS Lavan managed to dock safely, another Iranian naval vessel, IRIS Dena, met a different fate.
The frigate, which had earlier taken part in a military exercise at Visakhapatnam and was returning to Iran, sank in the Indian Ocean on March 4 after being hit by a torpedo launched from a US submarine.
The incident took place in international waters roughly 40 nautical miles off the Sri Lankan port city of Galle.
The ship reportedly sent out a distress call at dawn indicating an explosion onboard, but it had already gone down by the time rescue teams from Sri Lanka reached the location. More than 80 sailors were feared dead after the frigate sank.
Indian Navy Responded To Distress Signal
Amid criticism over India’s response to the incident involving a ship that had earlier been in contact with Indian authorities, the Indian Navy said it launched search-and-rescue operations soon after receiving the distress signal.
A long-range maritime patrol aircraft was dispatched to assist search efforts already being carried out by Sri Lankan authorities. Another aircraft carrying air-droppable life rafts was kept ready for deployment.
The naval training ship INS Tarangini, operating nearby at the time, was diverted to the area to support rescue operations. Another vessel, INS Ikshak, sailed from Kochi to assist in the search mission and remains deployed in the region to help locate missing sailors, the Navy said.
Iran Condemns Attack
Iran strongly condemned the attack on the frigate. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the sinking as an “atrocity at sea” in a post on X, alleging that the warship had been struck without warning in international waters about 2,000 miles away from Iran.
He also referred to IRIS Dena as a “guest of India’s Navy” and warned that the United States would “bitterly regret” setting such a precedent.
US Confirms Submarine Strike
The United States later acknowledged the attack.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed at the Pentagon that the Iranian frigate had been destroyed by a torpedo fired from a US submarine.
He described the strike as a “quiet death” and said it marked an expansion of military operations in the escalating conflict that began with joint US-Israel strikes on Iran and has since spread across the Middle East.
