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Kochi: India has granted refuge to Iranian warship IRIS Lavan, with 183 crew members presently being accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi. According to government sources, India was approached by Iran to take in the warship, which was in the region for the 2026 International Fleet Review, which was held in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Iran's request to India is said to have been made few days before Iranian warship IRIS Dena sank after being attacked by US torpedo on March 4. Government sources told ANI, "This request was received on February 28, 2026, indicating that a docking at Kochi was urgent as the vessel had developed technical issues. Approval was accorded for the docking on March 1."

IRIS Lavan has been docked at Kochi since March 4, the sources added.

For How Long Will IRIS Lavan Stay In India?

Commander Rajiv Sardana (Retired), in an exclusive interview with Republic TV, noted that the Iranian ship can remain docked in Kochi for weeks or months, depending on the time taken for its repair. “Every ship has its own mechanisms, own systems of first repair maintenance, second repair maintenance. If the ship is not ready and India does not have the infrastructure to make it happen…which kind of diesels, which kind of engines, which kind of propulsion systems are there, which we do not have the wherewithal to repair, it will take its own sweet time,” he stated.

He added, "The ship is not going back in a near hurry."

Attack On IRIS Dena

A US torpedo hit Iranian warship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. IRIS Dena sank after after the attack, killing at least 87 sailors on board. IRIS Dena was returning from India after participating in the 2026 International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam, when it was attacked by a US military submarine over 300 km from Kanyakumari.

Sri Lanka Navy and Indian Navy launched rescue and search operation after the warship was attacked. Furthermore, India rejected claims that Indian Navy provided intelligence to the United States on IRIS Dena that led to the attack.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump stated that one of the objectives of the US military is to wipe out the Iranian Navy.

Israel-Iran War

The United States of America and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran on February 28 in a massive military operation, codenamed ‘Operation Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Operation Roaring Lion’ by Israel. Iran retaliated and launched attacks on US military bases located in different countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Iran codenamed its retaliation 'Operation True Promise IV'.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, “This operation against the positions of American-Zionist terrorists in the heart of the occupied territories and American terrorist bases began with massive explosions under the blessed code name 'Ya Hassan ibn Ali (peace be upon him)'.”

The war has now entered Day 7.

The most dramatic outcome of Day 1 was the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with Iran's Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, Army Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi and dozens of other senior officials.