India let another Iranian ship IRIS Lavan to dock in Kochi days before IRIS Dena sinking: Report

New Delhi: Days before the Iranian warship IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, India allowed another Iranian naval vessel, IRIS Lavan, to dock at Kochi after Tehran sought urgent assistance citing technical issues, multiple reports cited government sources as saying.

According to the sources, Iran approached India on February 28, 2026, requesting permission for the amphibious ship IRIS Lavan to dock at Kochi as the vessel had developed technical problems while operating in the region. The request was approved on March 1, and the ship docked at Kochi port on March 4.

“The 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,” a government source said.

IRIS Dena torpedoed by US submarine

IRIS Lavan had been present in the region in connection with the MILAN multilateral naval exercise hosted by India and the International Fleet Review.

The development comes a day after India said it had launched search-and-rescue (SAR) operations following the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena. The Moudge-class warship was torpedoed by a US submarine about 40 nautical miles off Galle in southern Sri Lanka on the morning of March 4 while returning to Iran after participating in the MILAN exercise.

Sri Lankan authorities said the vessel sank after the attack and that 87 bodies had been recovered.

How India helped Iranian ship IRIS Dena

After receiving a distress call from the Iranian ship, the Indian Navy said it immediately initiated rescue efforts. A long-range maritime patrol aircraft was deployed at around 1000 hours on March 4 to support the search operations led by Sri Lanka.

The Navy said another aircraft carrying air-droppable life rafts was kept on standby. Training vessel INS Tarangini, which was operating nearby, was diverted to assist in the rescue effort and reached the search area by 1600 hours on the same day.

By then, the Sri Lankan Navy and other authorities had already begun rescue operations. India also deployed survey vessel INS Ikshak from Kochi to assist in the effort.

Another ship docked near Sri Lanka

The sinking of Dena has triggered widespread political reactions within India with opposition parties questioning government’s response and calling the attack a test of India’s role as a regional maritime power. The Congress said the Iranian sailors had been “honoured guests of India” after participating in the naval exercise.

Meanwhile, sailors of a third Iranian vessel IRIS Bushehr has taken shelter near Sri Lanka, while the ship itself remains anchored in international waters.