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EAM S. Jaishankar highlighted India’s humanitarian response after the IRIS Dena sinking, offering safe docking to IRIS Lavan in Kochi. He emphasized Indian Ocean security, regional development, merchant mariner safety, and India’s strategic role in fostering trade, connectivity, and cooperation in the region.

New Delhi: EAM Jaishankar has underlined India's position on the events in the Indian Ocean. Recently an Iranian Vessel, IRIS Dena which was returning from India after participating in the Fleet review was sunk by the US while in international waters. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue on Saturday, the Minister while highlighting India's position said that India had offered another Iranian vessel docking at Kochi.

The IRIS Lavan, which took part in the International Fleet Review had earlier docked in Kochi after developing technical issues. India had been approached by Iran days before the IRIS Dena incident south of Sri Lanka. The ship was in the region as part of the Iranian naval presence for the International Fleet Review and MILAN 2026, which took place from February 15 to February 25. India approved docking on March 1 and the ship's 183 crew members are currently staying at naval facilities in Kochi.

The Minister described the sinking of IRIS Dena as unfortunate and said India took the humane approach when the Iranians send out a request for IRIS Lavan.

"You had these ships, and we got a message from the Iranian side that one of the ships, which presumably was closest to us--to our waters at that point of time, wanted to come into our port. They were reporting that they were having problems. And so, my recollection is this was on the 28th, and on the 1st, we said, "Okay, you can come in." And it took them a few days to sail in, and then they docked in Kochi. And the ship is there. And obviously, the people on the ship, a lot of them were young cadets--that is my understanding. They have disembarked; they are, you know, in a nearby facility... When they set out and came here, the situation was totally different. They were coming in for a fleet review, and then they got, in a way, caught on the wrong side of events. So for us, when this ship wanted to come in, and that too in difficulties, I think it was the humane thing to do. And I think we were guided by that principle. And in a sense, of the other ships, one obviously had a similar situation in Sri Lanka, and they took the decision which they did, and one unfortunately didn't make it. So I think where really approached it from the point of view of, in a sense, of humanity, of other than, you know, whatever the legal issues were. And I think we did the right thing," the Minister said.