Iranian Warship Finds Safe Harbor in India as U.S. Strikes Another Vessel

India's foreign minister says his country allowed an Iranian naval vessel to dock at a southern port as a humanitarian gesture on the same day U.S. forces sank another Iranian ship near Sri Lanka. The decision came amid ongoing military conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran that began a week earlier.

NEW DELHI, March 6 – India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced Saturday that his nation permitted an Iranian naval vessel to dock at one of its ports as a humanitarian measure, coinciding with a U.S. submarine attack on another Iranian ship near Sri Lanka.

The Iranian vessel Lavan arrived at Kochi port in southern India on Wednesday, according to an Indian government source who spoke with Reuters. This occurred on the same day American forces struck the Iranian navy frigate Dena, following an emergency docking request from Tehran.

President Donald Trump has stated that eliminating Iran’s naval capabilities represents a key objective in the military campaign he and Israel initiated against the Islamic Republic one week prior.

Speaking at the annual Raisina Dialogue conference, Jaishankar explained that the Lavan – described by the U.S. Naval Institute as an amphibious landing craft – along with two additional vessels had been participating in a naval review when they became trapped by unfolding events.

“I think we really approached it from the point of view of humanity, of other than whatever the legal issues were,” Jaishankar stated. “I think we did the right thing.”

The American assault on the Dena occurred in Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone, approximately 19 nautical miles from shore but beyond the country’s territorial waters, resulting in at least 87 fatalities.

According to the government source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information, India received the emergency docking request on February 28 – the same day hostilities with Iran commenced. The source noted that the request carried urgency because the vessel had encountered mechanical problems.

Naval facilities in Kochi are currently housing all 183 crew members from the Lavan, the source confirmed.

The attacked frigate Dena had been returning from naval exercises hosted by India, based on information from the drill’s official website and statements from Sri Lankan officials.

Sri Lankan authorities reported Friday that they are guiding another Iranian naval ship, the Booshehr, toward an eastern coast harbor while relocating most of its personnel to a naval installation near Colombo.